


Blackened Streets

by SparkleDragons



Series: Grishaverse TAZ AU [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst and Fluff, But mostly angst, Drug Use, Drug Withdrawal, F/M, Forced Drug Use, Gambling, I'm probably overtagging this but better safe than sorry, M/M, Mild torture, Needles, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Should be totally understandable if you haven't read the books, Six of Crows AU, Smoking, general gang activity/violence, grishaverse au, if it was in the SoC books I won't say it won't be in here, if you think I missed something lmk and I'll tag it, slavery mention (like nothing worse than what the podcast brings up), some mention of sexual activity, these tags make this sound a lot worse than it is i think but proceed with caution I guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 14:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13366635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparkleDragons/pseuds/SparkleDragons
Summary: Grisha are disappearing on the streets of Ketterdam and no one seems to care. Twin criminals Taako and Lup don't bat an eye until a certain Heartrender at Ketterdam University goes missing, then all bets are off. The twins will do what ever it takes to get him back, including enlisting help from members of enemy gangs.





	1. Jenkins

**Author's Note:**

> These books and this podcast are my favorite thing right now. If you haven't read six of crows this should still be totally understandable (and I also very much recommend you do read them). I'm attempting to emulate style a bit so the first chapter is more of a prolog. Hoping to be able to update once a week. If it doesn't work out I'll move to every two weeks.

Jenkins took a long, slow drag from his cigaret and watched the exhaled smoke twist slowly up into the night sky. His break was always the most calming part of the day. He couldn’t get mocked or yelled at by hotel patrons who recognized his thick southern Fjerdian accent out in the alley. He’d never looked Fjerdian, dark hair and eyes starkly contrasting most of his childhood friends. He certainly sounded it, though, and as much a mix of cultures as Ketterdam was, some people simply didn’t care for Fjerdians. He couldn’t blame them.

 

Sometimes he wished he could cut all ties from his homeland, forget he ever lived there. He wanted to forget his escape in the bowels of a rotten-smelling trade ship where he lived for two weeks on the rats he could bring himself to kill and his meager water rations. He remembers his mother’s final words to him as she pushed him in the crates being loaded, her final warning to her only remaining family member.

 

“Never let them see. Even in Kerch people like you and your father can not be safe. Grisha are never safe.”

 

It couldn’t be more true than it was now. It seemed like Grisha were disappearing off the streets at incredible rates these days. If he was being honest he didn’t know many others were out there. Exposing yourself was dangerous; everyone knew that. Still, he heard the rumors. People were vanishing in batches across the city, for the slave trade probably, but who knew what the wrong people could want with a master of the small sciences. Being Grisha made the world dangerous but in Kerch it was always supposed to be manageable. Instead it felt like he could be drugged and swept up at any moment.

 

He took a job at the Geldrenner Hotel mostly for the uniform. The red made him think of the Ravka Corporalkis’ _kaftas_. As soon as he learned of his own abilities he’d admired their crimson uniforms. Even if they were dreaded enemies of Fjerda they were more like him than his people had ever been.

 

His mother said Ravka wouldn’t kill him for what he was and he’d asked why he couldn’t just go there. She told him they would make him a soldier instead, a heartrender who could stop a heart, break bones, and pop organs with a glance and a hand gesture. Not to mention the brewing conflict between the first and second armies at the time that eventually lead to the Ravka civil war. She never wanted that life for him. Dreams like that were what got his father burned.

 

“Shit,” Jenkins said as he took another drag. He’d smoked the cigaret to a sub, allowing the embers to burn his fingers. He glowered at the glowing dot left on the pavement and snuffed it out with his foot.

 

 _Fuck that hurt_ , he thought, investigating the little burns. The tiny red marks on his middle and pointer fingers were already starting to sting.

 

Jenkins flexed his fingers and took a brief surveillance of his surroundings. No one around, just him and the damp alleyway. He could hear some noise from the Church of Barter down the street but other than that no one was there that he could see to watch anything he did.

 

 _Fixing a few tiny burns won’t get me killed_ , he convinced himself and ran his thumb over each wound in turn. The process of urging his cells to heal faster itched like hell and he had always dealt more with destruction than repair, but it did the trick.

 

Jenkins took a quick look at the now flawless skin between his fingers. It was like it never happened. He couldn’t help but frown at the ashy remains of his cigaret. Meant it was time to go back in. He pulled his bowtie back tight against his neck and prayed the wealthy looking woman who came in before his break was gone and not about to come back to complain to him again soon.

 

At least the hotel was warm. Ketterdam could get horribly cold in winter. His powers were the one thing that kept him alive when he first arrived, unemployed and starving on the streets. He'd managed to keep his heart beating at least, never mind the toe he lost on one particularly bad night.

 

No one was in the lobby. Good. Hopefully that rotten woman had gone back to her room. Maybe he’d take a look later tonight and see if he couldn’t nab anything from her. Living on the streets developed a bit of a kleptomaniac streak for him and a lady who looked like she'd just walked out of the West Staves had to have something. Jenkins took a brief look at his pocket watch. Still three hours until his shift ended.

 

As he questioned the toll on his sanity this job was taking in comparison to some of the amazing loot he nabbed off all the rich folk, the front door banged open and a rather nervous young man darted in.

 

“Hello, Sir,” Jenkins began in the routine greeting. “How may I help you this fine evening?”

 

This man didn’t look like he could afford even a night at the Geldrenner if Jenkins was being honest with himself. His clothing was ragged and his dirty red skull cap didn’t exactly display a particularly wealthy background. Cherry on the cake was his right eye, which sported a rather impressive shiner.

 

“Please. Please I need help,” the man begged. He ran up to the desk and planted his hands down heavily. They left little smears of blood on the glossy wood.

 

 _Great_ , Jenkins couldn’t help but think. _Something more to clean up later._

 

“I’m sorry, Sir. This isn’t a shelter or a hospital. There’s not much I can do for you,” Jenkins drawled, already ready to get this man out of the building. If his boss found out he’d let someone like this linger in the lobby his job would be on the line.

 

“You-you don’t understand, I-“

 

Just then the doors burst open again, letting in a pair of burly-look gentlemen armed with a pistol and a net each. They were wearing stadwatch uniforms. Shit.

 

Jenkins couldn’t help but think about what his mother said as she prepared him for life in Kerch. The stadwatch couldn’t be trusted when you were like him, especially if you saw them with nets. If they had nets it meant they were looking for someone to catch. They were looking for a profit from the slave trade market and Grisha went for high prices.

 

“There you are!” one of the men shouts, aiming his pistol at the ragged man.

 

“No!” the man shouted as he whipped around to face them. He lifted his hands in their direction, fingers spread wide, and the pair were thrown back against the far wall by a massive gust of wind. He must have been a squaller and Jenkins found himself debating if it was worth revealing himself or not to help him out. He didn’t know if he could watch another Grisha be taken right in front of him. Then again, he didn’t want to get tangled with the stadwatch even if he did win with his limited fighting skills.

 

The man turned back before he could make up his mind and said, “You have to help me! I saw what you did in the ally. You can take them out in a second, please!”

 

One of the stadwatch men hefted himself off the ground and said, “Would you look at that. Hey, Bane it sounds like we got ourselves a two for one.”

 

The other man got up before Jenkins could make a decision to run or fight. “Yeah I heard,” he grumbled and then there was a bullet in Jenkins’s arm.

 

He let out a pained cry and tripped back to the ground behind the desk, hand pressed against his wound. Blood was seeping quickly through his fingers, darkening the crimson of his suit. _Shit shit shit._ He couldn’t use his powers if he couldn’t lift his hand up.

 

He could hear nondescript shouting from the other side of the desk and peered through a crack in the wood to the sight of the squaller struggling against the net he’d been entangled in.

 

“Bind his hands! I’ll get the other one,” the stadwatch, Bane? was it? said right before appearing on the other side of the desk.

 

Jenkins tried to lift his hands and attack. He had to slow their hearts to knock them out, maybe even kill them, and get as far from here as possible. He couldn’t fight the pain, though. All lifting his arm did was sent a bolt of fiery hot agony through his shoulder and chest. His left hand was useless. He could sense the man’s heartbeat, knew the location of every important blood vessel, every cell there for him to command, and yet? He’d never gotten good enough to fight with one hand.

 

The net came down and there was nothing he could do. This couldn’t be happening. This just couldn’t be happening after fifteen years of monotony. They bound his hands behind his back, rendering him completely helpless. They did wrap his arm, which didn’t do much for the pain. He supposed they didn’t want their trade to bleed to death. Lucky him.

 

He watched the man who restrained the squaller approach from his point on the ground. He looked a lot bigger from Jenkins’s position on the floor. He struggled futilely against his bonds as he approached, each motion sending spasms of pain up his arm. Bane grabbed his head to steady him and the other stadwatch slipped the needle in his neck. Then he only knew darkness.


	2. Magnus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out fast. I recommend not getting used to supper fast updates but for now, you're in luck. Thanks for reading!

Few people actually knew Lup and Taako’s names. To the barrel they were simply the twins, it wasn’t worth learning to tell them apart. Each was as full of trouble, cunning, and hell as the other and if one showed up the other wasn’t far behind. It was better to think of them as a pair. To the merch they were canal rats and scourges on the the good name of trade in Ketterdam. They were members of the Golden Fates and nothing more. To the pigeons, the people they scammed and stole from, they were poor lost twins with no one to care for them. Orphan twins were always a good catch to lower the guard of people fresh off the boat. 

 

All were wrong, of course

 

Magnus liked to think he knew the Ravkan pair rather well. He’d watched the failure to learn their differences be the fate of many targets. He knew Lup was fiery and bold. She never turned down a challenge to her pride and every man in the barrel knew taking her as a target meant being left broken to die in a ally somewhere. Taako was more lithe, preferring to stay by the shadows and slip through the cracks than barge his way in. He wasn’t quick to strike and even slower to form loyalties. Get him to do either and you had quite a dangerous man on your hands. Lup was the weapon, he was the thief. Sometimes they switched. Together they’d earned Istus’s favor in the Golden Fates and despite being so young quickly rose in rank above the other members. Many didn’t take that well, but those who brought it up found themselves on the twins’ bad side and that was never a good place to be.

 

Magnus had been assigned guard duty with Lup in the Ribbon Slip, the best gambling club the Golden Fates had. It was shiny and white, bathed in golden light. Fancy, silken, Suli fabrics draped the walls, adding color to an otherwise blank canvas. It wasn’t Magnus’s style but the tourists seemed to like it and that was what mattered. There’d been rumors flying around that a few Death Ravens had been seen picking off pigeons they had pulled in fair and square. They had orders from Istus to handle it outside view of the club. No need to scare off patrons with internal business.

 

Taako was watching from the shadows outside. If he saw someone he’d give the signal to Lup to let Magnus know it was time to move.

 

Magnus looked over to Lup on the other side of the poker tables. She was dressed in a velvet red suit that, under the warm lights of the Ribbon Slip, made her amber skin look like it was glowing with an inner fire. For the life of him he couldn’t figure out how she hid her pistols in something so formfitting.

 

She was playing with her lighter. She flicked it open, turned it on, flicked it closed. It was a dance Magnus watched her do often. He’d seen her fidgeting with it more than he saw her using it for smoking, even though he knew she kept a pack on her at all times. He wasn’t one to judge, though. He’d kept running his hands over the flat pipe he had hidden on his back all night. If the Ribbon Slip patrons had any street sense at all they’d know he had something back there. Good thing they were all oblivious to anything but their money.

 

Magnus found himself reaching for his pipe again, but paused when he felt himself being watched. He looked up and saw Lup looking in his direction. With the feeling he was getting he figured she was fixing him with a hard stare behind her tinted glasses.

 

Always the glasses with those two. That was one thing he didn’t know about them; why they were always wearing those damned glasses even in the middle of the night. Made them look like merch. Not that he’d ever say that. That’d be a good way to get his ass kicked and if he was being honest with himself he liked them. They didn’t trust him, but that was fine. They didn’t trust anyone. It wasn’t an uncommon trait in the barrel. They were closed off to anyone except each other but they did the jobs they had to do reliably.

 

“Hey, big guy,” Lup said, hand on his shoulder. Magnus jumped a bit. _When did she get across the room?_ “I got the signal from Taako. Two Death Ravens picking off our prey. We’re gonna trail them somewhere deeper in the barrel and make sure it’s handled. Come on.”

 

She started making her way to the club doors before Magnus had fully processed what she said and he had to rush to keep up with her. Outside the Ribbon Slip it was cold. Winter was really setting in and the canals would start to freeze over soon. Thank the gods he had a place in the Loft with the Golden Fates. The first winter night on the streets was always the worst.

 

He followed Lup quietly through the streets. Taako was nowhere to be seen, but of course he had to be nearby. Magnus couldn’t even see the guys they were following so he assumed Lup was following Taako… somehow.

 

As they passed into the rougher parts of town, closer to Death Raven territory than Magnus was comfortable with, he started playing with the ring on his finger. _Julia protect me_ , he thought to himself and pulled out his weapon.

 

“Is that a new pipe, Magnus?” Taako’s voice came from Magnus’s left and he started as the young man tapped him with the tip of the umbrella he shared with his sister. He was dressed in a suit similar to his Lup’s, except a deep purple instead of red. The same dark glasses sat perched on his nose and he wore the metal band he always had on his left wrist. That thing was the only way to tell the two apart sometimes. He never took it off. Didn’t look like it _could_ come off without any clasps or openings Magnus could discern.

 

“Uh… Nope. Still the same one I picked up a few weeks ago,” Magnus said, brushing the black umbrella off his shoulder.

 

“Hmm. You should really get a better weapon, my man,” Taako said as he moved over to stand by Lup and handed her the parasol. “I could help you out.”

 

Lup elbowed Taako in the side and said, “And how would you plan on doing that, Taako?”

 

Taako turned to fix Lup with what Magnus assumed was a ‘look.’ Those stupid glasses made it impossible to figure out what they were thinking sometimes. 

 

The twins were just all around weird. Istus found out about them and bailed them out of jail after they got caught stealing from a merch. She offered them a deal and they took it readily. They’d made quite a name for themselves since and never got caught again. No one knew where they came from or who they were before the Golden Fates. They only owned ten things combined when they started working for Istus: two pairs of shades, the black umbrella, Lup’s pistols, Taako’s knives, Taako’s bracelet, Lup’s lighter, and the cloths on their backs. To be fair, it was more than most who ended up in their position could claim. When Magnus joined he owned two wedding rings, carving tools, an axe, and a bottle of whisky.

 

Magnus didn’t know much about Grisha-made products but he was pretty sure at least half of the stuff they came with was. Sometimes he wondered how a pair of kids could have gotten their hands on that many pricy things but it really wasn’t his business. There wasn’t anyone in the barrel who didn’t have something to hide. You didn’t end up here and live an open and honest life.

 

“So, yeah. Uhhh-two Death Crow thugs, picking on our pigeons right outside the Slip,” Taako drawled before starting down the street again.

 

“Let’s fuck ‘em up a bit,” Lup said, swinging her umbrella around like a sword before letting it rest on her shoulder.

 

Magnus knew first hand what it was like to be on the receiving end of that thing when one of them was wielding it. The hit was an accident, it’s intended target had ducked. It still hurt like a motherfucker. Cracked a rib.

 

“Stick to the umbrella,” Taako said without looking back. “They didn’t have firearms when I saw them. It’ll be more close quarters.”

 

Lup hummed a response and pulled out her lighter with her free hand to play with. As if on cue, Taako started fiddling with his bracer. A strange pair for sure.

 

Lup pulled ahead of Taako and Magnus, her black boots knocked against the stone street rhythmically to the sound of her lighter being flipped open, on, and closed again repeatedly.

 

“Did you recognize the guys at the Ribbon Slip, Taako?’ Magnus asked. He didn’t bother to look at the kid as he said it, more interested on keeping an eye on the side streets while they walked.

 

“Uhhh. I’m pretty sure one of ‘em was Sloane. Couldn’t get a good look at the other thug.” Taako wasn’t looking at Magnus either, as far as he could tell.

 

“Damn. Sloane can be a pain in the ass. Didn’t she knock you out once?”

 

“That was a lucky break,” Taako said, clearly irritated with the incident being brought up. It happened only a month after he and his sister joined the Fates. “Fucking wind blew dirt in my eyes.”

“You’re always wearing glasses?”

 

“Wind blew up and underneath my glasses.”

 

“Pretty freaky wind,” Magnus said and gave Taako a little nudge with his elbow.

 

“I don’t know what to tell you, Mags, that’s what happened.”

 

“Would you two shut up for two seconds?” Lup whispered. Her hand was out to stop Taako from walking further down the road.

 

“Oof,” he huffed as he walked directly into her outstretched arm. “Lu, what the fuck?”

 

“There’s four Death Ravens down there.” She motioned with her head to the next side street. Then she pointed at Taako’s chest. “You said two.”

 

“There _were_ two,” Taako replied. “Must have joined their friends. We’re right on the edge of their territory. Not hard to believe. You know any of ‘em?”

 

Lup sighed and rubbed at her temple. “Well you were right about Sloane. But now she’s with Killian, Carey, and some other dude I don’t recognize. Doesn’t look like much of a brawler but looks can be deceiving.”

 

“Shit. Those are some of RQ’s best fighters,” Taako cursed. “Still think we can take ‘em?”

 

“We can’t just let them walk away from playing on our turf,” Magnus piped in. “I say give them the chance to give up what they took and if not, we take it back.”

 

Lup scratched at her neck. “Yeah sounds like as good a plan as any. Don’t get yourselves killed. And remember, we’re just here to give a good warning. No deaths tonight.”

 

Taako and Magnus nodded in agreement and let Lup lead the way. She pocketed her lighter and lifted her umbrella to rest across her shoulders, her arms draped over it nonchalantly. She turned the corner on her heel and approached the the group with the _click click click_ of her boots announcing her presence. Magnus had to stop to wonder when he started taking orders from a kid who couldn’t be older than twenty.

 

“Hi there, fellas. Nice night of pickings?” Her voice was level and smug, like a gambler who knew they had the winning hand. 

 

The four of them were talking casually in the alley, voices low enough that they didn’t carry past their circle. Carey and Sloane were turned away from the three of them and instead facing the man Lup couldn’t identify. Magnus didn’t know him either. He looked Zemeni if his dark skin was anything to go off. Lup was right. He didn’t look like a brawler, too lean. Killian looked up as soon as they turned down the street.

 

“Well shit,” Killian said, immediately shoving her hands in her pockets and pulling them out wearing nasty-looking brass knuckles.

 

“Whoa, whoa, kimosabi,” Taako said and he put his hands in the air in a gesture of pacifism Magnus knew was half-hearted. Taako could draw his knives faster than anyone else in the barrel. “We’re just here to talk.”

 

“Sure, sure,” Carey piped up, drawing her own knives. “You know how close you are to our turf, Twins?”

 

 _I’m here too_ , Magnus couldn’t help but think. But to be fair the twins were definitely more well known. He was just another Golden Fate bruiser compared to them. They had a reputation to be sure. Whether it was thanks to their being twins, their strange fashion sense, their skill, or a combination of the three was up to debate.

 

Lup laughed. “You’re one to talk, picking on our pigeons right outside the Ribbon Slip.”

 

“We were collecting a debt,” Sloane said. She hadn’t pulled a weapon yet, but was staring the three of them down with cold eyes. “It’s none of Istus’s business.”

 

“It is when you do it right outside our best club, babe. What sorta debt?” Lup took the umbrella off her shoulders and tapped it to the ground to lean on the handle. It was a clear threat to anyone who knew anything about the twins and their fighting styles.

 

“Just a new asset,” Sloane said, taking a few steps towards Lup. “Back off or you’ll be going back to Istus with some broken bones.”

 

Lup countered by taking some steps herself. The two were nose to nose and Magnus could see Sloane’s fingers twitching over the chain she had hooked to her belt.

 

The fourth Death Ravens hadn’t made a move. Magnus was keeping an eye on him and for the life of him couldn’t remember ever seeing him before. He wasn’t exactly in the loop when it came to knowing the members of the other gangs but he prided himself in being able to remember a face.

 

You could have cut the tension with a knife and the unidentified party member was starting to look nervous. Maybe he wasn’t a fighter, yet. That’d make things easier. No better place to learn to fight than the barrel. It was that or end up bloody in an alley somewhere, sometimes both. Magnus fought the urge to run a hand over the scar crossing his right eye.

 

Neither Lup or Taako said anything, simply staring down the Ravens with their covered eyes. Magnus didn’t trust himself quite enough to step in. This was gonna end in a fight no matter what happened. At this point it was a matter of convincing the other side on the ‘no deaths’ idea. His grip on his pipe tightened.

 

“Three against four, hmm?” Lup tapped a finger to her chin. “Those are certainly odds in your favor. But you know what? I’m feeling lucky.”

 

Before Sloane could react Lup whipped her arm back and cracked the umbrella against the side of her face. Sloane stumbled for a brief moment before regaining her composure and yanking out her chain. Magnus could see the bruise already starting to form on her jaw and then Carey was on top of him.

 

He dodged the first few swipes of her knives, but the fourth one got him in the side before he fought back with a swing from his pipe. She ducked effortlessly under the blow, returning fire with a few jabs at his legs.

 

Magnus went in for a kick and smiled to himself when he felt his foot connect squarely with Carey’s chest. In the moment he had as she recovered her breath he looked to see Lup still tangling with Sloane and Taako seeming to be wining the fight with Killian. The fourth guy was starting to back out of the fight wearily. _Coward_. He was gonna lose the fight for his crew. 

 

Before he could think more on that Carey had a knife wedged in his shoulder and he let out a shout of pain before throwing her off with another wack from his pipe. Shit that wasn’t good. He needed to finish this before the adrenaline wore off.

 

Magnus watched carefully as Carey circled him, knives posed and ready to strike. As he spun around himself, eyes locked with the Ferujian Death Raven, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Taako running down the street in hot pursuit of the Zemeni stranger. Killian was picking herself off the ground. Taako wasn’t strong. It was more likely she tripped than he'd actually managed to knock her over. Unlucky, but it happened on the cobblestones sometimes. Especially when they were icy from the cold.

 

The moment of pause was enough to give Carey the advantage as she lunged again, this time aiming for Mangus’s chest. He managed to avoid any major damage but was still left with a pretty sizable gash. He retaliated with his pipe, this time catching her in the side as she darted away. Carey gasped as the contact let out a rather nasty cracking sound.

 

“Shit,” she hissed, bringing a hand to her side.

 

“Back at you,” Magnus said, similarly holding a hand to his bleeding chest. 

 

“Fuck!” Killian called from where she had been fighting Taako. Her shout brought pause to both Magnus’s and Lup’s fights. “Where’d Kravitz go?”

 

Magnus took a quick look at Lup. She had an ugly bruise forming on her cheek, matching the one she gave Slone. Her nose was bleeding pretty bad, broken most likely, and she was probably nursing a few other wounds he couldn’t see. Chains didn’t cut clothing. Sloane was holding her right arm to her side, probably broken. Umbrellas didn’t make cuts either.

 

“Taako’s gone, too!” Lup called and took the opportunity to back off from Slone.

 

Seeing the fight was about over, Carey made her way wearily over to Killian. They were talking in hushed whispers. Magnus couldn’t make out what they were saying.

 

“I think I saw Taako chasing after, uh, Kravitz? Was it?” Magnus said. He didn’t loosen his grip on the pipe. “They went down that way,” he pointed further down the side street. “Probably went off into an alley or something.”

 

“Idiot,” Lup and Sloane said in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: sparkledragons.tumblr.com  
> Feel free to come chat. : )


	3. Taako

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I'm posting this, like, 7 minutes late when it comes to a weekly update. But it's fine.  
> Thanks for all the wonderful comments! They keep me going : )

Taako was surefooted on the cold stone streets. He kept the unknown Death Raven in sight as he chased him through the maze-like roads. The cracked rib Killian gave him was making keeping up hard, though. This guy might not have looked like a fighter but he could certainly run like nobody’s business. Taako was falling behind and it didn’t help that he had to take a second to painfully cough up some blood from his, probably punctured, lung. He was starting to regret this impulsive escapade.

 

Taako took a few agonizing gaps, watching the Death Raven pull further and further down the alley. _Lup’s gonna yell at me for this_ , Taako thought before lifting his hands and calling to his power. He could feel the energy in every stone and piece of metal around him. He could see the chemical make up of everything, from the broken glass in the windows to the icy cobblestones making the street. He focused on the stones. All it took was a little flick of his wrist to influence the right stone to lift at just the right time.

 

The squawking sound the Death Raven made as he tripped over the tiny obstacle Taako made was extremely satisfying. Not quite as satisfying as when he caught Killian with the same trick but this guy’s noise was better. Taako quickly pressed the stone back into the ground to keep up the illusion that people were slipping on ice. What they didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. Lup would disagree, but her powers were more noticeable. Taako could do what Taako wanted.

 

The use of his powers gave him the slight energy boost he needed to run to where the man was lying prone on the stones. Taako was on top of him before he had a chance to get up. He pressed his knees into his shoulders and a knife against his throat. 

 

Just by holding the man’s hands above his head, even through the thick fabric of his sleeves, he could tell he had a lot of lean muscle. Maybe he was a brawler? Either way, dude was extremely attractive and, going on looks, not that much older than Taako himself. He couldn’t help but smirk at that.

 

“Hey, thug. What’s your name?” Taako said, fixing the man with a wide, almost flirty, shit-eating grin.

 

The Death Raven spluttered for a second, clearly upset by the blade against his neck. Tough. If he lived in the barrel and he’d get a lot worse than that.

 

Taako thought of the time he and Lup had guns trained on them in an alley. It was about a month after the Queen’s Plague had started to die down. The guys wanted money the two of them didn’t have.

 

It was the first time they used their powers as a weapon rather than a tool. Back then the sight of the criminals’ burned bodies peppered with the twisted pieces of metal he’d ripped from the buildings had made him sick. Lup refused to speak more than a few words for a week. Those things didn’t bother him anymore and he was stronger for it. He wondered how the two of them survived more than a month when they were so unimaginably soft.

 

“K-kravitz.”

 

The handsome Death Raven’s words snapped Taako out of his thoughts.

 

“Come again?”

 

“M-my name’s Kravitz.”

 

Taako thought for a moment. Had he ever heard that name before? He was pretty sure it was a new one. He’d certainly never seen him, that was a face he’d remember. And the _accent_. Gods it was the most ridiculous thing Taako had ever heard. “Kravitz,” he tried the name on his tongue. “Never heard of you.”

 

“I-uh. I suppose you probably wouldn’t have. Um… who are you?”

 

Taako couldn’t help but snort at that. “I’m one of the twins, you know, from the Fates? Now don’t tell me you haven’t heard of us, kimosabi?”

 

“Should I have? Also do you have, like, a name… or should I just, um, call you ‘twin’?”

 

“You can call me the pretty one, Death Raven.” If Taako had been a corporalinki he probably would have sensed the blood rushing to Kravitz’s face. Seeing it turn a dark red in the moonlight would just have to do. Making dudes blush was Taako’s specialty. Probably why he’d run of of prospects of a reasonable age in the Fates. “So. What were you doing at the Ribbon Slip?” Taako pressed the blade in a bit, drawing a bead of blood that ran down the pure, Grisha steel.

 

Kravitz gaged, the blush fading very quickly from his features.

 

“Um. Lo-looking to gamble?”

 

“Right. Right, cool cool cool. You want me to believe a Death Raven decided to gamble at a Golden Fates club? Yeash you’re a worse liar than Magnus.”

 

“Who’s-“

 

“TAAKO,” Lup’s shout cut him off. Sounded like she was close. He supposed he probably shouldn’t have run off like that.

 

Taako’s moment of distraction was all Kravitz needed. The Death Raven twisted his arms out of his grip and used them to grab the wrist holding a knife to his throat. He tossed Taako off of him like a rag doll, and Taako quickly found himself pinned in a similar manner to how he'd had Kravitz a moment before.

 

The pain from his skull cracking against the stone was quickly overrun by a rush of power that flowed from where Kravitz’s hands gripped Taako’s wrists and through his full body. Taako sucked in a sharp breath that mimicked Kravitz’s as he realized he could feel the materials in the alleyway around them far sharper than before. His own power was heightened in a way he only ever felt a fraction of when using the mongoose bone umbrella amplifier he and Lup shared. The incredible rush of energy was abruptly cut off when Kravitz threw himself back, breaking the skin to skin connection they’d just had.

 

“Shit,” Taako gasped as pain shot through his broken chest a man just practically leaped off. His head throbbed from where it smacked against the street a moment before. When he reached to touch the back of his skull and his hand came away sticky with red. _Fine_ , he thought. _I was gonna have to see Merle about the rib anyways_.

 

He forced himself to roll over and coughed a few agonizing times before looking up at Kravitz, who was sitting a short distance away, fear etched clearly over his features.

 

“You’re an amplifier?” Taako said.

 

At the same moment Kravitz said, “You’re Grisha?”

 

Taako stared at Kravitz, pondering where his accent just went and gauging if he’d have to kill him. Lup and he’d decided pretty early on that anyone non-grisha who figured them out had to die. It wasn’t safe to let too many people know. But, Taako really didn’t want this guy’s blood on his hands. For one he was, like, extremely attractive and it would be a waist to dust that pretty face, but he was also an amplifier, and a powerful one at that. Amplifiers were rare. Most Grisha who found one took a chance when they saw it and killed for the power boost, regardless of if the creature in question was human or not. Taako knew what happened to human amplifiers who got found out. He thought of the Etherealki they’d met a few years back who was wearing a human knuckle bone as a necklace pedant to boost his abilities. This Kravitz guy wasn’t much safer than he and Lup were and right now Taako had the upper hand.

 

“Fabricator,” Taako said, motioning a thumb at his chest. If this ended up being a mistake he could ice this thug quickly. His fingers brushed on the grisha steel bracer he wore. It’d only take a moment for him to shape it into a blade to throw in Kravitz’s heart.

 

Kravitz nodded and glanced around nervously. Made sense. From his perspective Taako had pretty good motivation to kill him. Luckly he already had an amplifier. He didn’t need another.

 

“Chill, Krav. I already have an amplifier.” Taako drawled, still posed to fight if he needed to. “Mongoose,” he added quickly when a nervous look crossed Kravitz’s face. “Share it with my sister.”

 

“I thought Grisha couldn’t share amplifiers. Only the person who kills it can use it?” Kravitz didn’t look any less afraid, but he did look a bit more curious.

 

“It has something to do with us being twins,” he shrugged. “Plus we killed the thing together so there’s also that.”

 

Kravitz looked like he relaxed a bit at that confirmation, but not much.

 

“Look,” Taako said, picking himself up into a better position to lunge if needed, “I need you to swear not to tell anyone about us or I promise my sister and I will track you down and kill you anyways. Or I could just let the word out that the Death Ravens have a powerful amplifier in their ranks. That’d probably take care of you quick.”

 

Taako glared at the Death Raven in a way that showed without a doubt he meant business. Maybe Kravitz didn’t know about the twins yet but ask anyone and he’d find out. They’d made quite a reputation for themselves. It kept them safe.

 

“TAAKO WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?” Lup’s voice was much closer. She was probably just down the street.

 

Taako sighed. He couldn’t believe he was about to do this. “Get out of here, thug. Can’t promise my sister won’t shoot you when she gets here.”

 

Kravitz looked up at him with surprise. “Y-you’re letting me go? Why?”

 

Taako shrugged. “I don’t feel like watching you die after learning what I learned. Plus you’re pretty nice to look at if I’m being honest, bubbalah.”

 

Kravitz spluttered a bit and his blush came back, which made Taako laugh, something cut short by a stab of pain through his chest.

 

“I think I heard something over here,” Lup’s voice came from just out in the street.

 

“Better get running, bone boy.”

 

“B-bone… I’m sorry bone boy?” Kravitz stammered, picking himself up.

 

“Yeah my man. Death Raven. Death. Bones,” he waved his hand around to emphasize his point. “Plus you _look_ like skin and bones even if you have got a bit of muscle under there.”

 

Even in the lowlight, Taako could see the blood rushing to Kravitz’s face. He quickly drew a hand over it, though, which was a shame.

 

“I’ll-uh. See you around… um…” Kravitz looked at him questioningly.

 

“Taako,” he said, supplying the name he’d denied earlier. Chances were this dude wouldn’t know the difference if he saw Lup later anyways. Or he’d forget. Either way, he knew a more important secret now so it didn’t really mater.

 

Kravitz smiled faintly. “I hope to see you again, Taako.” Then he started to run down the street, just as Lup and Magnus turned the corner.

 

“Taako!” Lup ran to help him up from the ground. “Are you ok? Where’s-“

 

“Lup, there!” Magnus called, pointing down the alley at a retreating Kravitz.

 

“Fucker,” Lup snarled. She drew one of her pistols and aimed it down the street. She took a few potshots at him and Taako thanked the gods she missed. Of course, the fact that he was manipulating the bullets ever so slightly probably wasn’t helping her usually perfect aim.

 

“Damn it!” Lup shouted and holstered the gun. “You good, Koko?”

 

“Don’t call me that, _Lulu_ ,” Taako said. He went to pick up one of his knives that had been thrown aside when Kravitz got the upper hand.

 

“I can call you what ever I want when you act like a big dumb dumb and run off against an unknown Death Raven on your own.” She smacked him over the head. He sucked in a pained breath as a wave of pain sparked through his skull, sending stars across his vision.

 

“Shit, Taako.” Lup’s looking at her now bloody hand. “Did that asshole do this to you?”

 

Taako shrugged. “Smacked my head on the ground. I’m fine.” He looked up at her bloody face. “You’re one to talk, miss broken nose.”

 

Lup shot him a glare and winced as she tried to wipe blood off her mouth. Taako took note of her bruised jaw.

 

“Sounds like we’re all headed to Merle’s?” Magnus piped in. He was holding a bloody hand to his even bloodier side. His face was looking a bit paler than normal. _Right_ , Taako thoguht, I’m _the idiot_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to talk to me at: sparkledragons.tumblr.com


	4. Barry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I go into some sorta graphic describing of a needle injection (or at least more graphic than I had before) so if that bothers you be warned

Barry’s shoulder ached from supporting his satchel stuffed to the brim with books and papers. Why did his dorm have to be so far from his last class and why did he think it was a good idea to take a class at six at night? He was tired and hungry and he still had a mountain of work to get through.

 

The quad was quite and dark. Barry wondered why the lights hadn’t been lit yet. They weren’t usually lit when he left his last Thursday class but by this point he usually managed to catch Cam making his way around. Even in the dark his red skullcap made him easy to spot.

 

Cam was a good guy, good conversationalist. He was no inferni, which would probably have made the most sense for lighting the path, but Barry figured the school didn’t want a more dangerous Grisha indenture hanging around. At least Cam could blow the flames out easily with blasts of wind.

 

It was more than Barry could do. He’d never gotten any training. His parents were more concerned about hiding his powers to keep him safe. The last thing they wanted was for him to be caught up by the slave trade, shoved in an unknown ship, and carted off to who knew where. A Grisha needed to use their powers to stay healthy. The disuse of his Corporalki abilities made a state of fatigue and weariness Barry’s normal for a long part of his life.

 

Things had been easier since he met Lup and not just because she’d saved him from a rather untimely death.

 

~~~~~

 

He’d been wandering where he shouldn’t have been. His roommate, Greg, wanted to go the West Staves and have some fun. Barry had done his best to convince him it wasn’t worth it. They didn’t have the money for that place and besides, he wasn’t interested in gambling or whore houses. He’d much rather spend free time with a book or an interesting scientific report. Unfortunately for him, Greg was kind of an ass and didn’t care much what Barry did and didn’t want to do. This extended from things like making him take out the waist basket to stealing his money for gambling.

 

Despite his best attempts they’d still ended up trekking across the city in the Komedie Brute costumes so often worn to go to the West Staves. Barry had seen the actual show once with his mother. He wasn’t a fan. Greg insisted it was better to keep their identities hidden like everyone else and even allowed Barry to be Mister Crimson. Barry could appreciate how he would think letting him be the most well known of the cast would be fun but frankly he just felt ridiculous. The red and black robes kept getting wet in the stray puddles of the streets and the mask was just hard to see out of. He’d tripped about five times before they were even halfway there.

 

Greg wanted to be The Imp and frankly that wasn’t any better for Barry. The weird bulbous eyes of his mask were just plain creepy and he practically blended in with the drab gray of the streets.

 

Barry wished he could have been more streetwise back then. Perhaps he would have realized they had wandered into the worst part of Ketterdam. Too bad he didn’t figure it out until Greg was unconscious on the ground and he had a knife in his side. 

 

He remembered the sickening feeling of blood pooling through his fingers as he worked to keep it in his body. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He never did, but using his powers quickly became his only option.

 

As he lifted his hands he prayed he’d have enough control to keep their hearts beating. He only needed to slow them enough to make them pass out. Then he could figure out how to drag Greg and himself somewhere where they could get help. He could feel their hearts beating in their chests, the blood pumping through their veins. They didn’t know what he was. He still had the upper hand. But before he could do anything, she showed up.

 

When Barry first saw Lup his first thought was how beautiful she was, followed quickly by how screwed he was now that a fourth possible threat had appeared. The third thing he felt was relief because she attacked his assailants rather then him. Then he blacked out because he had lost far to much blood at that point.

 

When he woke up he was someplace new. He was in a ragged bed that was about as comfortable as lying on a hardwood floor with a blanket over it. It was a small room with three other beds aside from the one he was in. Lup, though he didn’t know who she was at that point and he'd simply referred to her in his mind as ‘the woman with glasses and a gun,’ was perched on the edge of one of the empty cots with her arms and legs crossed. 

 

Surprisingly, and thankfully, pain didn’t follow his return to the conscious world. He felt at his side and the wound seemed to have vanished. He couldn’t even feel a scar. He glanced at Lup and the first thing he said to her was, “A-are you a healer?”

 

The first thing she said to him was more laughter than words. “No I’m not, Mister Crimson, but he is,” she motioned her head towards the old man leaning over one of the other beds across the room.

 

The man wasn’t looking at him, instead tending to another body-like form lying in another bed. He was short and wearing a poofy coat that made him look especially round. He was missing his right arm and there was a patch over his left eye. Barry wasn’t sure what to make of him at the time and he wondered how he could heal well enough to not leave a scar with only one hand.

 

“W-who are you? I mean thanks for saving my ass back there, but-um… Also where-uh where am I?”

 

The woman gave him a faint smile he couldn’t quite work out the meaning of with her eyes covered as they were but she said, “I’m Lup. And you’re Grisha too, aren’t you?”

 

“I-um,” Barry wasn’t quite sure if he should answer that. His mother had always told him to keep his powers hidden, only using them infrequently to keep himself from getting sick with disuse. But despite the tinted glasses and the clear ability to kill him if she wanted to, he found himself trusting Lup, as strange as it was, and said, “Y-yeah? I’m a corporalki. But I’m ah… not really trained so…”

 

“Cool. I’m sure you figured Merle over there is too. I’m an inferni so don’t sweat about your secret getting around.”

 

“R-right. Um… where am I?”

 

Lup waved her hand and said, “Not important. I’ll take you back to the college when your friend over there is awake. So,” she uncrossed her legs and pushed herself off the wall, fixing Barry with an unreadable look, “what were a couple of uni kids doing in the residence area of the barrel, at night, dressed as Komedie Brutes? Were you trying to get mugged?”

 

Barry didn’t think calling him a ‘kid’ was quite fair. She didn’t look much older than him. In fact he was pretty sure she was a bit younger, a fact he ended up being right about. 

 

“Greg wanted to go to the West Staves,” Barry mumbled sheepishly, prompting a frown from Lup that he still couldn’t quite make out thanks to the shades. “C-could you take off the glasses? It’s-uh. It’s a bit intimidating?”

 

Lup chuckled and the older man spoke up with a rough, but not unkind voice. “He’s right, Lup. We’re all Grisha here. Well, aside from this stupid lump.” He motioned to Greg, who was still unconscious on his cot. At least it didn’t look like he was bleeding anymore.

 

Lup let out a long sigh and put her head in her hands. “Alright, alright.” She pointed at him. “But don’t blame me if it freaks you out.”

 

When she slipped the glasses off her face, Barry’s first thought was _Wholly shit I didn’t think she could get more beautiful_. Lup’s eyes were mismatched. Her left was a golden brown while her right eye sported a pale, hypnotizing blue. She looked at him, the faintest of smiles playing on her lips and Barry realized his face was hot and red.

 

“Shit-uh. Wow. Um. _Wow_. You have… you have witch eyes,” He felt like he was stumbling more than he had been before. Lup was giving him a bit of a confused look, as if she was trying to parse what his point was. “I-um-ah. I understand why you’d want to-um keep-keep those hidden. Dead…  dead giveaway to Grisha power.”

 

Lup huffed a laugh and slid the glasses into a pocket in her suit vest. Barry had never fallen in love as quickly as he had then. 

 

From that point on Lup became a constant in Barry’s life. She visited the campus often, and helped him walk through the barrel when he needed to without getting jumped. Barry even got some tips on using his powers from Merle from time to time. He could at least focus on one organ at a time or heal minor wounds now. He wasn’t defenseless.

 

~~~~~

 

The quad was still silent aside from his shoes clacking on the pavement, providing a welcome rhythm to his thoughts. Every so often he’d hear the cry of a gull overhead as it searched for its next meal. It was dark as pitch with the lack of moon overhead. Where was Cam? Barry was worried he’d trip on something in this darkness. When Barry looked up he realized he could see clouds forming on the horizon. _Shit I really hope it doesn’t snow tonight_ , he thought. _I have to walk all the way to geometry tomorrow morning_.

 

He shivered again and pulled his coat tighter around himself. He shifted his bag from one shoulder to the other, hoping to give his right side a break for a bit.

 

When Barry got to his dorm he had to take a moment to search through his bag for his keys. Damn things always got buried under mountains of papers and books and pencils and whatever else he decided to throw in and deal with later. Later usually meant never in his case.

 

The dorm he shared with Greg a year ago was his alone now. After the run-in with the gang he'd learned later from Lup were called Death Ravens, Greg had gotten a taste for the dangerous and gambling. Within two months he’d spent all his money in the clubs on the West Staves and fallen into debt with some club or another. Lup insisted he cheated at poker once and lost her 15 _kruge_ for it. She never forgave him but could never prove anything.

 

It made the room lonely now, but at least he didn’t have to worry about dirty dishes that weren’t his and his money disappearing at random intervals of his life.

 

“Where is that fucking key,” he mumbled and started to fully pull things out of his bag, letting them drop to the ground. _Maybe if I knock loud enough Lucretia will let me in._

 

Lucretia resided in the door across from his. She didn’t talk with him much but was nice as far as he could tell. She was in a few of his english classes and always writing things in those journals of hers or reading a book. She’d given him a few good recommendations over the year and a half he’d known her. Lucretia was the only other person in Barry’s life who knew about his connection with Lup and the Golden Fates. She always told him it was stupid of him to go around with criminals like that. He never listened.

 

Before he had a chance to rap on the door, something in his gut gave him the powerful feeling that he wasn’t alone. Barry whipped around as fear shot through his veins. There was another heartbeat somewhere near, but it was too dark to see anyone. No. Not one. There were three. Three individual heartbeats, pounding quick and loud. He could feel it in his soul, his power coursing through his veins, ready to come to his aid if he called to it. He was used to feeling the rhythm of other’s hearts in day to day life. It came with being a Corporalki. Barry pressed a hand to his chest and, using this abilities, carefully brought down his own heart rate. 9 pm on a collage campus wasn’t that late and it could very well be someone he knew. _No need to Panic_.

 

His gut churned in protest a few times as he told himself to calm down. Maybe whoever it was would let him in the building. In the meantime he went back to searching through his bag, hoping to find his keys.

 

Barry’s hands closed around the little pieces of metal that would admit him entrance to his dorm. He pulled them out of his bag with a quiet shout of triumph.

 

At the same moment, someone else’s hand closed around his mouth and pulled his hands behind his back. Barry dropped the keys to the floor with a tiny click and let out a muffled shout. He tried to twist his head to see his attacker. He had to be able to see them to fight. He needed his hands to fight. He couldn’t use his powers like this. The assailant was too strong, though, and his grip was firm over his mouth and wrists.

 

A second figure appeared at Barry’s right. They put a third, solid hand on the top of his head and forced him too tilt it to the right. Barry struggled and screamed against the hand pressed firmly over his mouth.

 

He felt the prick of a needle as someone slid it into his neck, followed by the pressure of something being injected into his veins.

 

The world around him quickly began to blur and Barry felt his fight weakening. His limbs refused to move how he wanted them to and the world went black.


	5. Lup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry this took so horribly long to come out ^^: I had some personal stuff going on then just a big ol' writers block. Trying to get back on schedule, though (especially since the next chapter should get the plot up an rolling at a more respectable pace)
> 
> Thanks for all the kind words on the last few chapters and as always thanks for reading! : )

Lup’s brother was one of the smartest people she knew. He was also an idiot who thought running off on his own in the middle of a damn gang fight was a good fucking idea.

 

“Stop picking at it!” she smacked his hand away from his head.

 

“It’s just a cut, Lu. The rib’s a bigger issue.” He pushed her away and went right back to poking his bloody head, wincing every time. He kept acting like it didn’t hurt, like always. She knew much better than that, though. She could see the way his breath hitched in pain and the tiny limp to his step. Sure her jaw hurt like hell from the hit she took from Sloan’s chain and breathing sucked for her too and her nose felt like it was on fire but Taako was more important right now.

 

“Lup’s right, Taako,” Magnus said. The walk to Merle’s place was taking longer than usual with him limping along behind them. Shit he was bleeding pretty bad, dude didn’t know when to quit.

 

“Look, Lup, you’re turning them all against me,” Taako rolled his eyes in Lup’s direction. Of course she couldn’t see it but call it twin intuition. She knew when Taako rolled his eyes at her, which was often, and he knew when she was rolling her eyes at him, which was always deserved.

 

“Then don’t go running off after random Death Ravens, Taako!” She would have punched him in the arm if they weren’t both feeling like shit.

 

“Sure, sure, but to be fair, he was,” Taako cast a glance at Magnus, “ _krasavetz._ Which is pretty damn close to his actual name soooooo.”

 

Lup stared disbelieving at her gay disaster of a twin. _Krasavetz_ , Ravkan for beautiful and then some. “You can not be serious.”

 

Taako tilted his head over his shoulder at her with a devious smirk on his face. She smacked it.

 

“Ow! Lup what the fuck! Merchandise is already damaged, here!” Taako’s hand flew to his face. Please she didn’t hit him hard and besides he was being a dumb dumb.

 

“Whoa, Lup,” Magnus piped up from behind the two of them. “Where did that come from?”

 

Right, Magnus couldn’t speak Ravkan. They didn’t teach it in Shu-han. Too much bad blood between those countries which was, frankly, so stupid. Stupid as it may be, though, it definitely came in handy here.

 

“ _Taako I swear to fuck if you get us in killed because you fell for a Death Raven I’m going to kill you,_ ” she hissed in Ravkan.

 

“ _Ok but you have to admit he was wonderful eye candy. Also, kinda a dork, I think?_ ” Taako fell in with her step as she stormed ahead in irritation. “ _You should have heard the noise he made when I tripped him_.”

 

Lup paused. Saints he was a bigger idiot than she thought. “ _You did_ not _use you’re powers on him…_ ”

 

“Uh… guys?” Magnus cut in. “What’r you talking about? Also, could you slow down a bit?”

 

Both Lup and Taako turned to see Magnus seriously lagging behind. They paused for a moment to let him catch up.

 

“ _Yeah but, get this, he’s an amplifier,”_ Taako leaned in to defend himself against Lup’s judging glare.

 

That actually gave Lup reason to pause. “ _No shit, really?_ ” Then, “ _Wait, fuck does he know you’re a fabricator?_ ”

 

Taako sucked in a sharp breath and Lup wanted to hit him again. They’d done so much to keep their identities secret and he was gonna blow it on some impulse crush. Only Istus knew as far as they were aware and that was just a matter of contracts. Well, her and Barry but Barry didn’t really count because he was a Grisha too. She trusted him. She did not trust this stranger who’d cracked her brother’s head against the street.

 

By the way Taako shifted on his feet she knew the glare came across how she wanted it to even through the shades.

 

“So. What were you guys talking about?” Magnus said weakly, having caught up. Lup glanced down at the crimson stain growing on his suit. Hopefully he could make it the next two blocks to Merle’s.

 

“No need to worry your big ol’ brain about it, my dude,” Taako said, putting a hand on Magnus’s shoulder. By the way Magnus shook under the light touch, and how pale his features were getting, Lup figured they really had to get moving.

 

“What Taako said.” She gave Magnus another once over. “I’m gonna run ahead to Merle’s and tell him the deal. You got him, Taaks?”

 

“Yeah yeah,” Taako said and lightly patted Magnus’s arm. “I’d tell you to lean on me, but-uh-I’m pretty fucked up too so-“ he was cut off by a fit of coughing. 

 

Lup gave Taako a sympathetic smile at how he held his chest in pain. The smile shifted into a stern frown and she said, “ _Don’t think this Death Raven business is over_.”

 

Taako wiped a trail of blood from his mouth and said, “ _His name is Kravitz_.”

 

“ _Doesn’t really matter,_ ” she threw back over her shoulder as she moved ahead down the street.

 

This wouldn’t be the first time she had to talk her crazy brother out of doing something dumb. He’d return the favor sooner or later she was sure.

 

Merle’s place was really more of a cellar under an abandoned building near one of the hospitals that got hit bad by the Queen’s Lady Plague. Merle had been a medic there once, he said. Lup wished she didn’t know the things he must have saw in those days. Images of the telltale blisters of firepoxs flashed through her mind and she had to shake the memory of the smell of death that permeated the city so thickly.

 

She knocked on the door with the secret pattern that really wasn’t supper secret. It was just to keep the stadwatch and slavers from getting in. There wasn’t a criminal in the Barrel that didn’t know that code. It was really the only place for the grime of Ketterdam to get healed up for cheep. Hospitals asked too many questions.

 

“What’d you get into this time, Lup,” Merle said when he opened the door. Lup looked down at the short, old, Zemini Grisha and flashed him a painful grin.

 

“What? No ‘what business,’ old man?” A common greeting in the Barrel and Lup put a hand to her chest in mock offense that he didn’t say it.

 

“I know what you’re here for so why bother ask’n,” Merle grumbled and waved for Lup to come in. “Where’s your brother?”

 

She hesitated in the doorway. “That’s-um. That’s actually what I’m here about.”

 

Merle looked Lup up and down and she saw him subtly turn his palm in her direction. His expression turned to something of disapproval. She was always surprised by how well the dude was able to loom his authority for a short guy with no actual authority over her.

 

“Right, cause I’m just imagining the broken rib, nose, and bruised jaw.”

 

Lup crossed her arms and threw the disapproval right back at Merle. “Mags has a sliced-open chest,” she said like it was a matter of fact. If Magnus collapsed because Merle wanted to be a hard ass and take his time doting on her she was gonna have some words with him later.

 

“No shit?” Merle groaned and pulled his hand down his face. “Alright. Let’s go, then.” He reached to the side and grabbed a coat from a rack Lup knew from many past visits was just inside the door.

 

Lup tried to flash him a grin but was cut short by the spike of pain that went through her jaw. Her hand flew to her cheek. This whole ‘taking a chain to the face’ thing sucked ass. She caught Merle’s knowing look and glared. 

 

“Fine,” she caved as his eyebrows arched ever higher. “But do it quick. And just the jaw so I can yell at my dumb ass brother easier.”

 

Merle smiled in his victory and reached up to run a thumb down her face. As Merle’s powers pushed her cells to repair themselves faster Lup steeled herself to avoid clenching her teeth. Getting healed itched like nothing else and she hated it.

 

“There. Now let’s go make sure Magnus doesn’t die,” Merle shrugged on his coat and started his way down the street.

 

Lup held her jaw and moved it around a bit to test it out. The consistent dull throbbing she’d been dealing with was gone, as was the itch of Grisha healing. She shrugged and turned to follow Merle out the door and onto the street. They didn’t get far before he started chatting again.

 

“So what did Taako do this time?”

 

Lup sighed and debated if telling Merle was really worth it. This was personal twin stuff but she figured it was probably a good idea to give Merle a heads up about a potential customer being an amplifier because that could get hairy really fucking quick if he wasn’t prepared for a rush of power like that while healing.

 

“Taako’s crushing on a Death Raven amplifier,” she huffed after some further deliberating.

 

“Figured it’d happen sooner or later to be frank. I’m surprised he took this long to start searching outside the fates.”

 

Lup mock gasped at the betrayal. “I can’t believe you’re siding with him. He’s an idiot and he’s gonna get us both caught.”

 

Merle turned back to look at her with a disbelieving stare. “Lup, you know Taako’s smarter than that.”

 

She crossed her arms and pouted a bit. Merle was right of course. Taako wouldn’t do something to endanger the two of them. And he was also right about him being smart. The speed at which Taako had picked up on fabricating was incredible. Their mother had always been so amazed by the things he could make even when they were kids. Course their dad was just as proud of her. _His little Phoenix_ , she thought. He always called her that.

 

In replacement of a response, Lup pulled out her lighter to fidget with. Having in her hands provided a certain comfort. It was empowering to have her fire at the tips of her fingers instead of sitting in her pocket, and beyond that it just gave her something to do. Of course keeping a random lighter on you could be suspicious so she also had to keep a half-used pack of cigarets too. Not that she would ever smoke. The smell was horrid and just reminded her of the crummy hotel of her childhood. It worked for a cover, though.

 

She and Merle turned the street corner and brought Taako and Magnus into view. Magnus had propped himself against one of the railings along the stairs leading up to a building. He looked like shit. Taako had a hand on his shoulder and waved a bit when she and Merle appeared.

 

“Hey, Merle! Come fix this dumb lug for us!” Taako called as he rubbed circles into Magnus’s back. As much as Taako hated to show it, Lup knew he really did care about the other Golden Fates, given they didn’t cross either of them that is. She’d seen what Taako could be like if someone threatened her. Sometimes she thought he cared more about her than himself, even if she was fully capable of bashing in a few skulls if the situation required. She of course cared about him more than herself but he wasn’t aloud to do that too.

 

Merle, at the sight of Magnus, picked up the pace and put his hand over the brawler’s hand, which was clutched tight over his chest. Lup followed at a slower pace. Wasn’t much she could do to help and she didn’t want to give her body any reason to breath heavily for fear of aggravating her broken rib.

 

“Merle fixed your face,” Taako commented when she was close enough for him to make her out fully. “Well,” he must have noticed her still-crooked nose, “part of it at least.”

 

“Yeah. I wanted to be able to do this without it hurting.” Lup threw Taako an extremely disapproving stare, deep frown and everything, which he quickly succumbed to.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I get it,” he mumbled, rubbing his arm. “Can we talk about it back at the Loft, though?” He jerked his head in the direction of Magnus and Merle.

 

“I’m visiting Barry tomorrow,” Lup said, and at the sight of Taako perking up a bit added on, “but believe me, we’re going to talk about it,” and jabbed a finger in his direction.

 

Taako threw up his hands defensively, “Ok, ok.” He threw her a cocky grin and asked, “You got plans with Barry?”

 

“Nah. I’m surprising him. Maybe gonna go get waffles and whisky.”

 

“Don’t blow all our money on a waffle trip, Lup.”

 

“You mean the money _I_ won in the poker game two nights ago?”

 

Taako blew a raspberry in responce.

 

“Would you two kids stop arguing and come help me drag Magnus back to my place?” Merle cut in. He had an unconscious Magnus draped over him and he seemed to be having trouble keeping him up. Magnus was not a small man.

 

“I mean we both have broken ribs, Merle. Not sure carrying him around is the best idea,” Taako said. “You _are_ a doctor right?”

 

“Course I’m a doctor. Now come help me cause I can’t carry him myself.”

 

“Why is he down?” Lup tacked on. “Weren’t you gonna heal him, not drop his heart rate?”

 

“I did both. He lost a lot of blood and his body needs to get that back naturally, easier if he’s unconscious.” Merle shifted Magnus’s weight on his back a bit, clearly struggling.

 

Taako let out a long sigh and meandered over to help prop Magnus up, Lup followed close behind.

 

Together the three of them managed to, not unpainfnully, transfer Magnus to a cot in Merle’s cellar.

 

Merle rubbed his hand on his shirt, a futile attempt to wipe Magnus’s blood off, and turned to Taako and Lup. “Alright. Which of you knuckleheads is first?”

 

They both pointed to each other. Lup glared at Taako, because he was clearly much more hurt than she was and frankly pretending he wasn’t was just lying. Besides, she’d had at least one injury healed. He’d had nothing.

 

“Taako hit his head, if you didn’t notice the dried blood caking the side of his face.”

 

“Lup cracked a rib,” Taako countered.

 

“So did you,” she threw back at him.

 

“You’re nose is broken.”

 

“Taako goes first,” Merle said, ending the bickering.

 

Taako huffed a sigh of someone who’d lost and meandered his way to lie down on an open cot. Saints he was so stubborn sometimes.

 

Merle started prodding at his head a bit, moving Taako’s hair away from the wound best he could with one hand. Lup always wondered how he lost the other one. Wasn’t her business to ask of course, shit happens. Still, it was a point of curiosity.

 

“This is already plenty coagulated,” Merle mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. “I’m gonna do the rib first cause it’s getting pretty close to puncturing your lung there and that’s a whole other problem I don’t wanna deal with.”

 

Taako grumbled something incomprehensible and lifted left arm over his head to give Merle access to his chest. Routine procedure. This wasn’t the first rib either of them had broken and it likely wouldn’t be the last. Ribs were way to fragile, especially when put up against pipes and chains and bats and the like.

 

Lup watched Taako wince against the itch as Merle pressed his hand on his chest and coaxed his bones back together. 

 

When he was done Taako immediately sucked in a big breath of air and said, “Feels nice to breath without your bones trying to stab you.”

 

Merle rolled his eyes and motioned for Taako to lean over so he could get to his head. Soon it was Lup’s turn and she sat dutifully as the bones in her nose and chest shifted back into place.

 

“There,” Merle said and moved over to Magnus’s bed. “Now be careful next time maybe?”

 

Taako laughed a bit at that and Lup shot the healer finger guns and a cheesy grin.

 

“Yeah I figured.” Merle rolled his eyes and put a hand on Magnus’s chest. He was probably doing some Corporalki stuff neither Lup nor Taako could understand.

 

“I’m gonna leave this guy here for the night,” Merle decided. “Who’s paying?”

 

“Mags goes unconscious and leaves us with the bill,” Taako complained, forking over some _kruge_ non the less.

 

Lup just shrugged and turned to head out. “He’ll just owe us. And you know I always collect.”

 

Taako shoved her out the door in response and threw, “Tell Mags to leave us alone tomorrow when he wakes up,” behind his shoulder to Merle before following.

 

They walked in silence down the streets for a while before Taako started up conversation again.

 

“So you’re visiting Barry tomorrow?”

 

Lup nodded. “Yeah. I was gonna surprise him tonight but then this came up and it’s way too late now.”

 

Taako yawned in agreement and said, “So who’s gonna give Istus the status report?”

 

Lup considered taking on the job for a moment. It wouldn’t take long but Istus was probably sleeping now anyways so it’d have to happen tomorrow anyways. And she _did_ want to get to the campus early. Waffles were good at any time but she wanted a long day between just her and her boy.

 

“You do it. Like I said, I’m meeting Barry. Plus she likes you better.”

 

Taako groaned his acceptance. Tomorrow would be a good day, Lup figured. She could scold Taako about his idiotic boy crush only after a nice long time with her own boy crush. But for now a long sleep in the shitty bed they shared at the Loft was all she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come chat with me at my tumblr: sparkledragons.tumblr.com


	6. Lup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo. So I've decided I'm gonna switch to an "update when I can" schedule. Be that as it may I'll do my best to do it at least once every other week.
> 
> Thanks again for all the support this has gotten! I'm so surprised people are at all into this considering the two sorta not mixing fandoms.
> 
> Thank you for reading! : )

Lup woke up with a sore back, just like every other day spent in their room at the Loft. She and Taako shared a space on the fourth floor of the Golden Fate’s main building of operation. The mattress on the ragged bed was little more than a small pad spread over uncomfortable wooden beams. It kept her from falling through and not much else. They shared the tiny cot, not bothering to waist their money on something bigger or better. Other things were more important.

 

Taako was already gone when Lup cracked her eyes open. The early rays of morning hadn’t yet crested the buildings of Ketterdam and Lup wanted to bundle herself up in the warm wool blankets and go right back to sleep. Taako was saints know where, _He’s probably working on paperwork somewhere_ , she thought smugly, thanking her past self for taking the day off. 

 

The insistent call of a crow outside the window begrudged her to clamber out of bed and into the freezing morning air. She’d have to get ready quickly if she wanted to get to Ketterdam University and into Barry’s room to surprise him before he woke up anyways. It didn’t make the biting cold of the room any less prevalent. She made her way to the makeshift dresser, toes curing against the cold wood. The sideboard she shared with Taako was really just an old piece of wood stretched over two buckets with a handheld mirror hanging from a wall nail. She could barely see herself in the grimy surface of the glass and didn’t bother trying to wipe it away.

 

 _It’s cold as fucking Fjerda in here_ , she thought bitterly and reached for her lighter. She flicked it on and pulled at the flame with her power, pulling in combustibles in the air to form a path for it to ignite. It danced over her fingers like a feisty snake before she created a flammable path across the room to light the candles. _Finally some light_.

 

Lup played with the flame for a few moments longer, letting it curl near her face to warm her features before setting the lighter down. Parents tell their kids not to play with fire, but fire had been her friend and protector since she was little. It’s pulsing warmth kept her safe and it’s _etovost,_ it’s ‘thatness’ that only fire has, bent her her command.

 

Lup’s hair was a mess. What little she could make out in the mirror betrayed a nasty bedhead only achievable by a long sleep. _Or a doofus brother who tosses around all night_ , she thought. _Certainly wasn’t a long rest that’s for sure_. Her body confirmed this with a deep yawn.

 

She glared at her reflection and decided to just pull the mess into the approximation of a ponytail, tying it off with some cording scattered around the dresser. Lup rubbed fruitlessly at her eyes The feeling of sleep was still deeply settled in. _A little walk in the early morning cold should do the trick_.

 

Lup got dressed quickly, opting for something a little more loose and comfortable from last night. By that she meant it wasn’t a suit at least and the hooded coat was warm and soft. It was still plenty tight enough that it wouldn’t make an obstruction if she needed to fight in it, and it wouldn’t make climbing a drain pipe any harder.

 

Lup looked to the door to the room, debating if it it was worth taking an easy rout down the stairs. She decided it probably wasn’t; she didn’t feel like talking to anyone about where she was going or the ‘wonderful feats’ of last night’s scuffle. Instead she opened the window and hopped out to cling to the gutter.

 

She’d done this hundreds of times before; it was practically second nature. She closed the window with one hand as she slid down with the other, a single fluid motion that brought her to the street in seconds. She stood at the base of the building and brushed her hands together to remove the water and frost from sliding down. The cold early morning air stung at her cheeks and she smiled at her work.

 

The lack of moonlight to go by didn’t pose that much difficulty to navigating the streets, she’d done it before, fought in it before for that matter. Plus the darkness would make getting into Barry’s dorm easier. The walk to the University took around twenty-ish minutes.

 

Getting to the school required crossing a few of Ketterdam’s many canals. As much as the merch liked to call the criminals canal rats, she really didn’t like making her way over the murky waters. Wading through was vile and utilizing the bridges felt exposed.

 

Of course she used the overpasses, could hold her own with ease, and the lack of moonlight provide some cover, but she still preferred the security of buildings.

 

Movement caught her eye over one particular canal. Her hand darted to her side, ready to grab her lighter or her pistol depending on the situation, but she quickly relaxed. It was just a barge for the dead. The bodyman that corralled it down the shallow canal with his pole looked up at her as they passed under the bridge she was on. They were minding their own business by the time they reached the other side.

 

Lup noted the three bodies draped over the little boat. The bodymen worked at night so as not to disturb the populous with the dead. Lup was desensitized at this point. A body was just a thing, it meant nothing more than a piece of meat, get too attached to meat and you’ll find yourself in trouble.

 

Even in the lack of moonlight one of the bodies looked…off. Something about the skin wasn’t right. _It’s not firebox_ , she soothed her already heightened nerves. The man’s color just seemed ever so slightly wrong. She relied mostly on the face for that observation, most of his form was covered with a gaudy, bright red hotel bell hopper suit. The barge faded into the darkness before she could get a better look.

 

When Lup arrived at the university, she glanced warily into the quad from a side ally. No one was out there that Lup could see, and anyone that was was probably a drug addict or a drunk always so she wasn’t worried. Being located in such a dangerous city, even on the outskirts, there was a pretty little black fence circling the central campus to keep out the criminals.

 

 _How cute_ , she thought as she scaled the fancy twirling metal effortlessly. _Shouldn’t have made it so posh. Gives me plenty of handholds._

 

Lup dropped to the other side quietly, the only sound to betray her arrival the soft thud in the grass as her boots touched down.

 

The campus was darker than she would expect. _Doesn’t this place have fancy little street lights?_ _Why aren’t they lit?_ Not that she minded the darkness. It worked better to her advantage. Still, it was nice to have the little flames right at her fingertips if she needed it.

 

Barry’s building faced away from the main green, but his room didn’t and neither did one of the gutter pipes running down the side. Barry was lucky, he had a corner room all to himself after that asshole Grimaldis left. It was lucky for Lup because the corner of a building with a drainage pipe was about the easiest sorta house to climb.

 

Sneaking into Barry’s room was simple, especially since he didn’t lock his window anymore (not that it posed much difficulty when he did.) It was a familiar set of motions, enough so that Lup didn’t need to think about where she put her hands and feet; her muscles knew where all the holds were. It was helpful when she could barely see where she was climbing.

 

She slipped the window open as quietly as she could and crawled in, closing it silently behind her. Barry’s room was even darker than outside, without even stars to provide a bit of light. Lup could just make out the bed. Based on the still, lumpy form on it, she hadn’t woke him.

 

She put the time at somewhere around 4 A.M.-ish and she was fucking exhausted. She didn’t want to wake Barry yet, though; a boy needs his sleep. Lup decided to plop down in an old arm chair Barry’d bought a few months back. It sunk under he weight and she curled up comfortably. This thing was better than her bed at the Loft. 

 

It was really freaking cold without any sorta blanket, but that wasn’t exactly new. Barry always kept a bundle in the closet, which she pulled herself out of the chair to help herself to.

 

Maneuvering around Barry’s disaster of a room wasn’t easy in the dark and there were a few times she kicked something and had to muffle a shout to keep Barry from waking up. He’d always been a hard sleeper, something she never understood. If she were someone here to kill him he’d be long dead. Eventually, though, she managed to complete her quest to retrieve a blanket without disturbing her boy. Based on feel it was probably the supper soft red one she loved (and occasionally took with her.)

 

As she quietly set herself up something in her gut felt wrong, like something was horribly, terribly, immediately off about the room. A few times it prompted her to look around or out the window. When you live the life she and her brother did you learned to listen to that feeling. For the life of her she could never find anything troubling, though.

 

Eventually Lup gave up her search and curled into the chair, her body heat suitably warming the space under the blanket. 

 

“See yah in the morning, Bear,” she whispered, more to herself than anything, and slipped into a comfortable sleep.

 

~~~~~

 

The sun peaking through the window woke Lup up. She groaned and stretched her soar joins in the chair. She didn’t want to open her eyes cause opening her eyes meant having to deal with light.

 

“Mmmm. Morning Barry,” she mumbled, snuggling back into the cushions. He didn’t respond. _Sleeping in? On your special surprise day? How rude._ “If you aren’t up yet you’re getting up now.” Lup maneuvered herself out of the chair to face the bed. “Come on sleepyhead I’m taking you for wa-“ She opened her eyes.

 

Barry wasn’t in the room. His bed was a total disaster of cloths and books. Lup hummed to herself. Her boyfriend was not a stealthy man and she was far from a heavy sleeper. How in the hell did he get up, make this disaster, and slip out the door without waking her. That feeling in her gut from last night came back and she told it to shut it. Barry was fine. Maybe she was just more tired than she thought last night.

 

It made sense that he would have already left. Now that her eyes were open she could see the sun was less peaking and more fully in the sky. _Dang it’s been a long time since I actually slept in._ She wasn’t ignoring the feeling in her stomach, she wasn’t. She was just telling it to shut it because Barry was fine. Of course he was fine. She was being dumb.

 

She considered checking with Lucretia. She and Barry were close enough shed probably know where he’d be. Leaving the room meant she should lock it, which meant no getting back in, but that was okay. She didn’t really need anything from the room and Barry had a key if he did. If she really needed to get back in she didn’t need a key either, she’d just rather avoid getting caught picking a lock by someone else in the building.

 

Lup slipped into the dorm hallway quietly. It was possible other students were still sleeping and she didn’t really want to call attention to her presence here. Course, most of Barry’s neighbors knew her by this point. They didn’t know what she did or who she was when she left campus but they knew she and Barry were a thing.

 

Lucretia’s dorm was on the bottom floor of the building, close to the front door. Barry always said it was nice having a friend there cause if he forgot his key or something he could knock on her window to let him in. Lucretia was rarely out with friends, and if Lup was being honest she didn’t think she had many, so she rarely let him down.

 

Lup rapped her knuckles against Lucretia’s door. “Luuuucccyyy?”

 

There was the sound of shuffling papers and Lucretia opened the door hesitantly. “Oh. Right of course. Hi, Lup.”

 

Lup leaned her weight against the doorframe and flashed Lucretia a friendly grin. “Do you know where Barold is?”

 

“It’s funny that you ask that, actually,” Lucretia said, motioning for Lup to follow her into the little room.

 

“Why?” Lup complied and entered, taking to resting against Lucretia’s desk instead.

 

“Lucas brought me a bunch of his things this morning,” she gestured to a neat pile of books and papers she had stacked up on a chair. “He said he found them on the front steps this morning.”

 

“That’s fuck’n weird,” Lup said. She pushed off the desk and picked up one of the notebooks on the chair. It was definitely Barry’s, she recognized the handwriting. “Barry’s a mess but he takes care of his books ’n shit.”

 

“I thought the same thing.” Lucretia looked uncomfortable and glanced out the window. It was shielded with thin curtains so Lup figured it was probably just a nervous tick more than anything. “And Barry wasn’t in geometry today either.”

 

“Barry had geometry this morning?” Lup picked up the books and started putting them in Barry’s satchel. That thing in her gut from last night and this morning was churning again. Barry didn’t miss classes. It was something she teased him about. If he wasn’t in class and he wasn’t in his room where the fuck was he? She knew he hung out other places but he wouldn’t just leave her like that if he’d seen her in his room. He would have woken her up or at least waited for her to come to on her own.

 

“Lucretia you don’t think something…uh… happened? Do you?” Lup was clutching the leather strap of the bag tightly. She couldn’t push down the horrible feeling anymore and it was threatening to overwhelm her. Her breathing picked up and she could feel her heart rate increasing in her chest.

 

Saints, Barry could be gone. He could be gone completely. She swore if this was some other gang trying to get at her she would rip them out from the inside. Fuck hiding her power. She would burn their clubs and their bases to the fucking ground. She refused to consider the other option, that someone else took Barry. Barry wasn’t skilled but he was still just as vulnerable as any Grisha.

 

“-on your back?” She didn’t realized Lucretia had been talking. She didn’t know when she’d crumpled to the ground with her hands in her hair. When did she start crying. _Pull yourself together. You’re acting weak._

 

Lup rubbed futilely her eyes and managed a shaky, “What?”

 

“I asked if I could put a hand on your back.” She was crouched next to Lup, concern etched across her face.

 

“Uh-yeah. Sure,” sniff. “Knock yourself out.”

 

Lucretia’s hand was warm and rubbed small circles between Lup’s shoulder blades. It was strangely comforting. 

 

“I don’t want to say Barry’s definitely okay,” Lucretia started, “because I don’t want to lie to you.” Lup couldn’t help the sob that wrenched it’s way from her throat. “But!” Lup sniffed again. Saints she shouldn’t be doing this. She was high ranking officer in the Golden Fates, one of the most powerful gangs in the barrel, for saints sake. “I do believe if something _did_ happen to him, no one in the city is more capable of finding him than you and your brother.”

 

Lup felt herself leaning into the hand on her back. It still took a few more minutes for her to fully calm down. When she felt like she could without crying again she said, “You don’t happen to have a key to Barry’s dorm room do you?”

 

“Barry locks himself out a lot,” Lucretia says. She reaches for the top of the desk behind Lup and holds up a key for her to see. “Why do you need it?”

 

“I’m gonna wait in his room until tonight. If he’s not back by then,” Lup picked herself up and took the key. Her grip on it was white-knuckled, “the hunt is on.”


	7. Kravitz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeyyyyyy. It's been a while huh? I'm supper sorry about that. I honestly don't have an excuse beyond procrastination. Sorry. But! It's taakitz week and i really wanted to get this chapter out for this week if nothing else sooooo enjoy! (Hopefully the next one won't take too long since I've been looking forward to it for a while, but, hey, I've learned promises are a mistake when you're me so we'll see)
> 
> Thank you so much, as always, for reading! And comments are always appreciated and loved! : D

Kravitz wandered out of the Stockade dejected. He still couldn’t win a game for shit. He’d hoped perhaps joining the Death Ravens would help his luck a tad, course he didn’t have much choice otherwise. He’d been in far too much debt already to get out of the deal. Kravitz shivered in his coat and scratched at the place on his arm that was still red and angry from the tattoo. _What would mother think of me now_ , he thought to himself. _I came here to make it big, be a powerful and skilled merchant. Instead I squandered my money on gambling and joined a gang._

 

The bustle of other club patrons shoved Kravitz aside into the street. He let out a long sigh and ran his hands through his hair. Killian and Carey were supposed to start training him to fight today. _I’m not going to last a month like this_. _I should get my hands on some sort of gun. At least I learned how to use that for hunting. I’ll sort of know what I’m doing._

 

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. He instinctively reeled away, mindlessly swiping out a hand towards the assailant.

 

“Woah, woah, kimosabie! It’s just Taako!”

 

Standing there with his hands up in surprise was the Golden Fate Kravitz had fought with just last night. He was dressed in a much more practical outfit than the night before. The suit had been replaced with a hooded cloak over a tight outfit accessorized with belts and, to Kravitz’s nervousness, knife holsters. He was still wearing the tinted glasses and metal band around his wrist. As much as Kravitz was sure the outstretched palms were supposed to be pacifying, having a Grisha standing over him with their hands free and open wasn’t exactly his idea of ‘calming.’

 

“I swear I didn’t tell anyone about you!” he said, scrambling back a bit. This only brought him further into the alley Taako had appeared from and the thought crossed his mind that he should probably be making his way towards where all the people were instead.

 

“Wha-“ Taako dropped his hands and a look of what Kravitz assumed to be confusion crossed his face. Frankly it was hard to tell. “Oh, oh, oh!” Taako snorted out a high-pitched nasally laugh. “I’m not here to, like, kill you or anything,” Taako said, an amused grin across his, rather attractive, features. “Sorry. Guess the knives and the whole Grisha thing and sneaking up on you probably weren’t the best ways to make a calm environment, huh?”

 

“Ok…” Kravitz said, picking himself off the ground. At least this way if Taako _did_ decided to attack him he’d have a little bit of a better chance, not that he had any weapons on him and was probably doomed either way. “Why are you here, then? Isn’t this a-uh a Death Raven club?”

 

“Oh for sure. I’d probably have a pretty bad time if one of Quinn’s goons found me. Other than you, of course. I figure you won’t rat me out, right handsome?” Taako grinned.

 

Kravitz was honestly weighing his options. He had an entire gang to back him up now, and from what he understood a powerful one at that. On the other hand, Taako knew he was an amplifier and he was pretty sure there were one or two Grisha in the Death Ravens who may or may not kill him for that sorta power. He wasn’t exactly sure if Rowena Quinn was willing to protect him if he could power up her other members that much. Did Taako just call him handsome?

 

“No… I-uh. I suppose not?” Kravitz decided. If he really needed to he could always tell someone later. For now he figured he should stay on Taako’s good side.

 

“Good.” Taako reached forward and patted Kravitz on the shoulder. It sent a chill up his spine, just threatening enough to remind him who had power in this situation. Or perhaps he was reading too much into it? “Follow me, death boy.”

 

Taako turned and strutted out the alley and back onto the West Staves. Was Kravitz supposed to follow him? That didn’t seem like the best of ideas if he was being perfectly honest with himself. Taako, despite what he said, could kill him pretty easily if he really wanted to. Kravitz sighed and resigned himself to his fate. He wasn’t going to last long like this anyways.

 

It wasn’t hard to follow Taako through the Barrel. He walked with a sort of grace he hadn’t seen from anyone else in Ketterdam, not to mention his black and purple ensemble stood out against the bright costumes of the gambling district. 

 

As much trouble as it had caused him, Kravitz couldn’t help but love this place. The acrobats dressed in sparkles and sequence danced on wires over the canal, surrounded by dozens of merchants selling their wares to the tourists filled the street with activity. The clubs that towered over the people bellow each carried their own flare. The dark ensemble of the Stockade, the colorful, bright flare of the Ribbon Slip, the deep greens and earth tones of the Forest Temple all coalesced into some of the worst, and most thrilling, mistakes of Kravitz’s life. As he followed Taako and the crowds thinned he wondered if the decision to follow him might be the new worst idea he’d ever had.

 

“Where-uh. Where are we going?” Kravitz called, hesitating at a corner Taako had just turned. He could still see the West Staves from here. If he kept following he would lose contact with the vibrant safety of the crowd for good.

 

“To a bar, Kravitz. It was Kravitz right?” Taako stopped and turned. He pulled his glasses down his nose to fix Kravitz with a questioning… smolder? That was sort of a smolder. Taako had witch eyes, he noticed. Well that explained the glasses he supposed. It made his stare all that more intriguing.

 

“Uh-yeah. Yeah it was.” Kravitz took one final look towards the gambling halls and sighed. “Isn’t it a little early for a bar run?”

 

“It’s never too early for a drink, my man. Besides, I had a ton of work to do this morning and could use a break.”

 

“Well. Alright, I suppose,” Kravitz resigned himself to his fate.

 

“Hell yeah!” Taako readjusted his glasses and continued down the road. Kravitz followed with significantly less enthusiasm.

 

“Taako is there a reason you wanted to pull me away to visit a bar?” Kravitz asked after a few minutes of silence, cut only buy the sound of their shoes on stones.

 

“What? A guy can’t ask another out to drink anymore these days?” Taako didn’t turn around to look at him as he spoke. He directed his focus ahead and he was fiddling with the metal band around his arm.

 

“I suppose that’s fine. Uh,” Kravitz could feel the heat rising to his face. Was this a date? Was Taako… hitting on him? What the fuck? No. That was ridiculous. He probably just wanted something. “Aren’t you, like, supposed to be my enemy, though? Ms. Quinn was quite clear that working with another gang was reason for-er-let’s call it termination?”

 

Taako snorted another laugh and actually turned to look at Kravitz. His, his laugh was actually kind of endearing? _Nope no. I’m not going down that path. If he doesn’t kill me, Quinn certainly would._  

 

“I’m not gonna ask you for information or anything, Krav.” Taako sighed and ran a hand down his face. “I mean, yeah, I’m sure our bosses wouldn’t be _thrilled_ to know we’re hanging out, but I’m, like, a high ranking officer for Istus or something. If she did anything to me she’d have my sister to worry about anyways.”

 

That did little to ease Kravitz’s nerves. “Taako I don’t have that kind of protection.”

 

“I know,” Taako grabbed his hand and pulled him down a side street so he didn’t miss it. Kravitz noticed he was wearing gloves this time. The fingers had small rubber grips on the tips, probably Grisha made. “You’re new, right? Like, mega new to the whole gang scene?”

 

“Yes. I-uh. I just signed a contract to the Death Ravens last night actually.” He shook his hand out of Taako’s grip and pulled up his sleeve to show him the new tattoo on the inside of his forearm. The black ink showed just enough on his dark skin to make the image of a raven sitting on a scull noticeable. It was still blotchy and red in places.

 

Taako whistled. “Dang. I mean, I knew. Like, I deffo knew you were new and all. I didn’t realize you were this fresh off the boat, though.”

 

“I got to Ketterdam a few months ago, actually. I think it was a few weeks after the situation with Van Eck happened?” Kravitz pulled his sleeve back down and rubbed at the soreness.

 

“No shit? That was, what, three months ago?” 

 

“Something like that.”

 

“You know he wasn’t just arrested for taking money from the rest of the merchant council?”

 

“Really? That’s the story that was in the papers?”

 

“Yeah that’s the official story and all, but word around the Barrel is he was dealing with something bad. Like, war-starting bad.”

 

“That sounds like an exaggeration.”

 

Taako shrugged. “What do I know? I just heard about it from word of mouth.”

 

~~~~~

 

The bar Taako took Kravitz to was dingy at best, terrifying at worst. It was clearly a meeting place for the sort of people Kravitz supposed he’d have to become aquatinted with now. One of the windows was broken and the other was boarded over. The entire place smelled of alcohol and vomit. There was a set of pool tables off on one end of the bar. One was occupied by a couple of men who looked like the probably could and would kill someone for a couple of _Kruge_. If Kravitz was being honest he was pretty sure most of the people in here would do the same.

 

Taako strode in completely unfazed by the company. Kravitz noticed he got a few wary glances from other patrons, which, frankly, was more unnerving than comforting. If the man twice Kravitz’s size with tattoos covering everything but his face and a massive scar over his chest was nervous of Taako what in Saint’s name was Kravitz doing going out for drinks with him. For likely not the last time that night, Kravitz figured he was going to die.

 

“Hey, Robbie,” Taako called to the bartender, popping himself up on one of the bar seats, “a vodka with cherry for me and…” he turned to Kravitz, who had taken a stool next to his. “What do you want?”

 

“Uh. I’m not-“

 

“They have a decent whisky? I mean it’s cheep but better than some places.”

 

“Whisky is fine.”

 

“Sounds good,” the bartender, Robbie, he supposed said and started pouring drinks. Kravitz noticed his teeth were stained dark orange with heavy _jurda_ use. Growing up in Novyi Zem had made Kravitz rather familiar with signs of the stimulant. When it was your country’s biggest export a lot of people tended to use it, be it for pleasure or just to stay awake to get more work done.

 

“A vodka and a whisky,” Robbie announced as he placed the glasses in front of the two of them. “So who’s this, Taako?” Robbie spoke slowly and deliberately. Kravitz wasn’t convinced he wasn’t on _jurda_ at this exact moment.

 

“None of your business, Robbie. Add the drinks to our tab” Taako sipped at his vodka as he fixed the man with a hard stare. Robbie didn’t seem put off by it, though. He simply shrugged and went to tend to another customer.

 

“Soooo. Why’d a guy like you join the Death Ravens? You don’t seem the criminal type.” Taako was leaning awkwardly on the bar, vodka in one hand, head in the other. His expression was unreadable.

 

“Well. I-uh. Let’s say I like a good wager. I’m just not all that skilled at it.” Kravitz sipped uncomfortably at his whisky and fought back a grimace. It wasn’t especially good at all. The clubs had much better quality.

 

“Mhm. A lot of guys join cause of a gambling problem. It’s an easier out than fighting with the boss.”

 

“What about you, Taako? Why are you doing this?”

 

Taako glanced over across the bar before answering. It looked like he was debating weather or not telling Kravitz was worth it or not. “We-uh. My sister and I, I mean. We sorta fell into this life. Ketterdam’s a mean place so kids have to learn to be meaner.”

 

Kravitz could tell he wasn’t going to get more out of Taako than that. But, he was surprised he was told anything. Something about the way Taako said that felt sincere. He appreciated it.

 

“But that’s enough of that serious shit!” Taako announced and drained the rest of his glass. It had still been pretty full and if that was an attempt at intimidating Kravitz further it certainly worked. Well, partially. Another part of him he refused to acknowledge was extremely attracted to the Golden Fate member in front of him right now but he decided to force that down and lean more into the fear. “Let’s earn some money, huh?” Taako hoped off the stool and started striding towards the pool tables.

 

“I’m sorry, what?” Kravitz sipped at what was left of his whisky before just leaving it on the counter and following Taako. He wasn’t especially motivated to finish it anyways.

 

“How good are you at pool?” Taako flashed him a grin and tossed over a cue. Kravitz caught it effortlessly and Taako whistled.

 

Kravitz felt heat rise to his face and thanked his dark skin and the dim lights of the bar for preserving his dignity. “I’ve-um-never played?”

 

“Perfect,” Taako practically purred. A devious smirk crossed his face and Kravitz prayed to his Saints he wasn’t about to become privy to some sort of swindle.

 

“Hey, thugs!” Taako called to get the attention of a few of the guys playing on one of the tables. There were two of them, and they talked like they were friends. Both had the pale skin and dark hair typical of a Kerch heritage. “How’d you feel about a game with me and my friend here? Put down, say, thirty _Kruge_?”

 

“We’re not playing a game with one of the twins,” the taller man declined, fixing Taako with a glare.

 

“Oh come on. This guy doesn’t even play! I’ll basically be playing one on two.” Kravitz felt that wasn’t entirely fair. He might not play pool much but he doubted he’d be that bad.

 

“That true, kid?” The shorter, older looking man said. He was staring at Kravitz with a highly critical eye that made his throat go dry.

 

“Y-yes?” Kravitz swallowed hard and glanced at Taako for some support. Which he didn’t get. Taako was busy chalking his cue. “I mean. I’ve never played before. I’m not sure how good I’d be.”

 

The shorter man sniffed and continued to stare for a few more deeply uncomfortable seconds before saying, “Well sounds like a good deal to me.” He walked over and pat his friend’s arm. “Let’s go Tenik. Free cash, right?”

 

Tenik glanced between Taako and Kravitz with a skeptical look before sighing and starting to reseting the balls. Kravitz offered to help but was brushed off as soon as he showed his total lack of knowledge in the process. Taako leaned against the wall and watched.

 

The start of the game showed an instant difference in skill levels. Taako was fantastic and rarely missed a shot. The two men they were playing against were also pretty decent. They’re shots were more fifty fifty on if they were good or not. Five turns in and Kravitz had yet to sink anything, though he’d almost lost the cueball a few times.

 

“Alright, Kravitz,” the taller man, whom Kravitz had learned was named Mirrin said. He’d just pocketed another striped ball. The other two had three balls left not including the eight ball. Kravitz and Taako had four left. “You’re up.”

 

Kravitz looked over the table. He couldn’t figure out which ball he had the best chance of sinking. By that he meant he couldn’t see which one he had any chance at all at getting lucky with. Taako’s hand on his shoulder startled him out of his consideration.

 

“Take a shot at the red one,” Taako whispered in his ear. He pointed to the ball to emphasize his suggestion.

 

“Taako I don’t know if I can do this. It’s been fun but I’m really not especially good.”

 

“Don’t worry, Krav,” Taako said and brought his arm around Kravitz’s shoulders. “I can be your good luck charm.”

 

Kravitz again hoped one could see him blushing. As close as Taako was, he probably couldn’t see color as definitely as he would need to through his glasses.

 

Kravitz aimed the cue to the best of his ability, which wasn’t extremely well, and took the shot. As he watched the cueball careen into the solid red one he knew immediately it wouldn’t go in. The angle wasn’t right. As the ball moved, though, it almost seemed to change it’s direction ever so slightly and slipped into the hole.

 

Kravitz couldn’t hold back a small laugh of delight. “I got one in!” he cheered, grin plastered on his face.

 

“Hell yeah you did!” Taako patted his shoulder as he took his arm off and moved to the other side of the table. “See? Taako’s always good luck.”

 

“Speak for yourself,” Tenik muttered and moved to set up his own shot.

 

Kravitz got both his next two shots in and again managed to sink the eight ball. Somehow his luck had turned around for him. It made him feel nice that at least he wasn’t a total detriment to Taako’s game. Saints they actually managed to win!

 

Unfortunately they weren’t able to scrounge up another game and had to go home with just the thirty _Kruge_ they won from the first, but it was still nice.

 

“I think I actually got the hang of pool at the end there,” Kravitz exclaimed as he and Taako made their way back to the West Staves. “The balls just moved how I wanted them to."

 

Taako grinned and handed over the fifteen _Kruge_ Kravitz was owed. “You could call it getting the hang of it, or luck,” he wrapped his arm over Kravitz’s shoulder again, “or you could call it cheating.”

 

Kravitz stopped in his tracks and looked at Taako, also forced to stop by way of his arm resting around his neck and on his chest. “What?”

 

“I may have used a bit of manipulation to get your balls to go in the right direction a few times at the end there.”

 

Kravitz considered this for a moment. On the one hand, they won and he hadn’t let Taako down. On the other, he had honestly thought he was improving. Not to mention the fact that if Taako had been caught who knows what would have happened. Cheating at pool in a seedy bar was one thing, and that could get you stabbed he was pretty sure, but cheating with Grisha power was another problem. Taako could have gotten killed or worse. Did he do it for Kravitz’s sake? Did he want Kravitz to feel better about his own skill? Or maybe he had just wanted to win. Kravitz wasn’t sure he was comfortable with the situation as a whole.

 

“T-Taako you cheated on my turns with your powers?”

 

“Yup.” He popped the ‘p’ as if he hadn’t done anything wrong or dangerous.

 

“That was incredibly stupid,” Kravitz reached up to take Taako’s hand off of himself. “What if you’d gotten caught?”

 

For a second Taako looked genuinely hurt by the concern and distrust laced through Kravitz’s voice, but his expression flashed back to that of aloofness fast enough he wasn’t sure if he had imagined it or not.

 

“I do it all the time with Lup. Not all of my shots are legit either, Krav.” Taako started down the street again. “Haven’t been caught yet!” he called back behind his shoulder. “There’s a reason no one in that bar plays against me and my sister.”

 

Kravitz frowned at how smoothly Taako was taking this. He frankly wasn’t sure why he cared so much about him. He shouldn’t care, right? He barely new the guy. But still, something in him really didn’t want to see Taako getting hurt.

 

They stopped walking when they reached visual distance from the Stockade.

 

“You good heading home from here?” Taako said, not looking directly at Kravitz. He instead seemed focused on the bustle of the West Staves. Kravitz couldn’t help but notice how the lights and glamor of the canal seemed to gleam off Taako’s glasses. It was strangely pretty.

 

“Y-yeah. I should be alright.” Kravitz managed to say. Taako really was quite beautiful.

 

“Cool. See you round, bone boy.”  Taako half-smiled in that crooked way he’d been doing all day and disappeared into the crowd. Kravitz found himself hoping he’d see him again.


	8. Merle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeey! Look at that updating before two weeks have passed (I think). Merle's very hard to write but I've been looking forward to this one.
> 
> As always thanks for all the wonderful comments and kudos. You are all just too nice about this self-indulgent thing!

When Merle woke up the next morning the first thing he did was check on Magnus. The man was sitting up in the cot, eyes closed, and jolted back awake when the door creaked open and Merle walked in.

 

“Hey, Merle,” Magnus waved awkwardly and scratched at his sideburns nervously. “Thanks, uh, thanks for the heal.”  
  
Merle shrugged and approached Magnus’s bed. “Not a big deal. Twins left you with the bill, though.” He didn’t ask for permission before lifting up Magnus’s shirt to get a better look at where the slash had been the previous night. He was still wearing his dress shirt, though the actual overcoat of the suit had been removed to the coat hanger by the door.

 

Magnus lifted his arm up above his head without being asked to make his side easier to get atand chuckled. “Yeah I sorta figured. What do I owe you?”  
  
Merle readjusted Magnus’s shirt, having reaffirmed his work last night was satisfactory. “Let’s say twenty _Kruge_ and call it even.”  
  
Magnus nodded and pushed himself out of bed to get his coat. “I think I might have a bit on me from last night? I’m gonna have to get the rest to you some other time, though. It alright if I swing by later today?”

 

“Nah. I’m doing something today,” Merle said, scratching at his beard. “Tomorrow, big guy.”

 

“Sounds good,” Magnus confirmed. He came back and handed over a fist full of crumpled _Kruge_. It came to seven when Merle counted it. “Here’s what I’ve got for now.”

 

Merle grunted his approval and shoved the money in his back pocket. He could deal with putting that away later.

 

“What’r you doing today that you won’t be around?” Merle was pretty sure Magnus was just trying to make polite conversation as he shrugged on his coat and got ready to go, but he’d humor him.

 

“Meeting with a friend.”

 

“I didn’t know you had friends, old man.” Magnus grinned jokingly.

 

“Hey! I resent that,” Merle snapped back.

Magnus snickered and Merle turned his back on him. He didn’t need this. You do something nice for people and they all just make jokes. At least he was pretty confident he’d get his money from Magnus. There were a few guys who would just skip on the bill, even if Merle knew they could pay. It was guys like that who didn’t get healed a second time. As much as Merle hated turning someone away he had to make a living somehow.

 

“Aww.” Magnus made a sound of complaint and Merle huffed a sigh.

 

“What, Magnus,” He turned around to see Magnus with his arm shoved through the prominent hole in his jacket.

 

“Ruined my jacket…” he mumbled. He pulled his arm out and held it up to his face, looking through the gash.

 

Merle couldn’t help but give a breathy laugh at that. “Yeah that’s what tends to happen when you get a knife to the side. It doesn’t just magically pass through your cloths.”

 

Magnus lowered the ruined suit-piece and pouted in Merle’s direction. Magnus could be so childish sometimes. There were moments where Merle would have mistaken him for some guy caught in the wrong part of town rather than a man who both could and would kill people if the job required it. Fucking Ketterdam. He wondered what Magnus’s life might have been like if he never came here. Merle wondered what _his_ life would have been like if he never came here, if he had just stayed back in Novyi Zem instead of running away from his problems. He probably wouldn’t have lost an arm to a poorly timed explosive that was for damn sure.

 

Magnus groaned as he pulled on the jacket and picked at the frayed edges of the cut. “I wonder if Taako could fix it for me. He’s got some sewing knowledge I think. Well,” Magnus paused to think. Merle could practically see the gears working in his head. “I mean one of them has to, right? They’ve definitely ruined stuff in a fight before and worn it the next day.”

 

Merle shrugged and went back to, shit what was he doing a second ago?

 

“See you, old man. I’ll get the _Kruge_ to you when I get the chance.” Merle waved his hand in Magnus’s general direction in confirmation. He didn’t turn to look as he heard the door open and shut again as the man left. What the hell was he doing?

 

Shit. That was right. He was going to meet with John today. I’d been a while. _I swear I’d forget my own damn head if it wasn’t screwed on_ , he thought bitterly to himself as he shuffled to the door leading to his room.

 

The little cellar area he called home wasn’t great but at least he didn’t have to pay rent. It was just him and the occasional wounded kid anyways so it wasn’t as if he was pressed for space. The nights were cold and the bed sucked, but it wasn’t that bad a place. It was something.

 

Merle had to shift through some junk scattered around his room to get to the bottle of wine he’d stashed away after getting it as pay for fixing a gunshot. He figured he wasn’t nearly as fancy as the sorta shit John could afford with his family money but it would make a nice gesture.

 

Merle grabbed the burlap bag he’d kept around since his licensed healer days. Even if the hospital wasn’t around anymore he’d still managed to hold onto a few things.

 

Merle locked the door behind him as he left. If someone was looking to get fixed up he didn’t have a sign to tell them where he was. They’d have to go somewhere else or figure it out. It wasn’t that he didn’t care. But he had things to do and Ketterdam’s criminals had survived just find without him before he started helping out.

 

John’s place was a long walk. He lived across the city where all the other merch mansions were, no where near the Barrel.

 

Merle always felt like he was being watched when he crossed over from the Barrel into the Geldin District. There were always so many stadwatch guards around, even in the bright of day, to protect the big fancy merch houses. The first few times he’d come he’d been stopped and questioned, he didn’t exactly look or dress like he belonged here. He’d visited John many times now, though, and at this point he just got looks.

 

Merle grinned and waved at one particular guard. It seemed to throw him and he looked behind himself to see if Merle was looking at someone else. Merle had to laugh at his nervous cough when he found there was no one else around.

 

John’s house was as grand as any other member of the Merchant’s Council. A tall, black, metal fence surrounded a garden that in the spring was speckled with bright flowers and fancy, cut bushes. At the moment the guardian bolstered the brown, black, and gray colors of the dead of winter. The only brightness lied in the glittering colored glass speckled in the wind chimes and gravel path leading from the gate. Even the house itself was incredibly dull, the same drab grays and shadows of the rest of the city, it was still one of the nicest buildings Merle ever got to visit. Merle liked the place better when things were growing, though. It felt less… dead.

 

John’s door knocker was a lovely opalescent stone carved in the shape of Ghezen’s hand, the god of trade. Merle rolled his eyes every time he saw it. Merchants were so obsessive over the ‘integrity’ of their trade. He rapped on the door twice and waited.

 

After a moment, a servant in the black colors of the Huntgar family answered.

 

“Hello, Merle. Are you and John meeting today?” Her voice was soft and hesitant, as if she’d been waiting for something.

 

“Yup! Don’t tell me the big guy forgot?”

 

“Not at all. Allow me to tell him you’ve arrived. You may come in if you wish.” The woman pulled the door open further and gestured for Merle to enter the foyer. He obliged with a friendly smile and a nod.

 

“If you need anything while you wait, just call. Someone will come to assist you.” The woman gave a slight bow and hustled deeper into the house, leaving Merle alone in the entranceway.

 

The inside of John’s house was about as drab as the outside, if not far fancier. Dark statues decorated the space under shining silver chandlers. Merle knew John could afford gold if he wished, but silver matched the aesthetic of the place better. Various nicknacks and bobbles displaying the Huntgar family wealth lined dark wood shelves. A large, cherry wood stairwell curved up from the foyer and into the upper reaches of the building. The doorway to Merle’s right led to a grand library where he tended to spend most of his time when visiting with John.

 

“Merle!” a low, flat voice called from deeper down the front hallway. John appeared from around one of the corners, crooked smile just barely showing on his worn features. He was wearing one of his fancy suits. As always, set in his tie was his personal Merchant Council tie pin, a black opal set elegantly in silver. “What business?”

 

“Hey, John. How you been?” Merle reached out to take John’s outstretched hand and shook it. His hands were cold, but Merle figured his was colder. He didn’t have any gloves to keep it warm as he wandered the city and kept it shoved in his pocket. The pocket had a hole in it so it wasn’t a perfect solution. “Don’t tell me you forgot we were planing to hang out today?”

 

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything, dear friend. Shall we?” He gestured to the study.

 

Merle smiled and led the way in, plopping himself down on one of the high-backed chairs at the coffee table.

 

“Chess?” John asked, proceeding to one of the shelves to retrieve the wooden set.

 

“Sure,” Merle shrugged. “Oh! Hey I brought you this wine I got off someone a few days ago. It’s probably not as nice as the stuff you can get but, hey, I work with what I get.” He pulled the bottle out of his back and placed it on the table. John picked it up to examine it as he set down the chess set.

 

He turned the bottle in his hands and squinted at the label. “It’s cheep, but, certainly not horrible,” he concluded. “Vasily,” he called to the servant standing in waiting at the door from the study, “would you bring us a pair of glasses?”

 

The man nodded and turned out of the room to fulfill his orders. Merle watched him go. The idea of servants always seems so frivolous to him. How hard would it have been for one of the two of them to go retrieve some glasses?

 

“So. I assume you’d like the white?” John said, pulling Merle’s attention back to the present.

 

“What?”

 

“Chess? You usually take white.” John was setting up the game between the two of them.

 

“Oh! Right, right. Yup. I’ll leave you with your whole black ensemble.” Merle ran his hand through his beard and watched the pieces fill in on the board. “So how yah been, John? It’s been a few weeks since I last saw yah.”

 

“Oh you know. My life doesn’t vary much day to day, lots of paperwork and lots of meetings.” John gestured for Merle to take the first move.

 

“Heh,” Merle chuckled as he started with a pawn. “I’ll be honest John, the luxury is nice but I don’t envy you.”

 

“It’s truly not so bad,” John mimicked Merle’s opening. “I’ve even had a tad more free time as of late.”

 

“In my line of business you get all the free time you want.”

 

“You mean patching up canal rats after their barbaric fighting?”

 

“It’s a good gig. Help some kids out, get some cash. It’s enough to live on and I’m happy.”

 

John smiled softly and shook his head, “I’ll never understand that, Merle.”

 

The small clink of glass on wood announced the arrival of the wine glasses.

 

“Ah! Thanks!” Merle thanked, Vasily and reached for the bottle. The man hesitated for a moment, looking between John and the bottle Merle was poring before dipping their head and hustling out of the room.

 

“Cheers!” Merle raised his glass to John and took a drink. It was alright. John’d given him better before. Saints he was getting spoiled wasn’t he? Compared to most of the shit you’d get in the Barrel it was fantastic. John sipped his wine quietly, flat gaze resting on Merle.

 

They played a few more games with empty conversation. Merle talked about a few patents he’d had and John drawled on about his newest business opportunities.

 

After a particularly long lull of silence John cut in and said, “Merle you grew up in Noi Zem, right?”

 

Merle mumbled a vague confirmation. His focus was directed towards the game. John had him stuck in a corner and he frankly refused to lose again.

 

“I suppose between living in the Barrel and your upbringing you might know something about _jurda_ , then?”

 

Merle decided to move his bishop three spaces closer to John’s side and looked up. “Yeah I know a thing or two? Why? I thought you had a lot of stock in that stuff already.”

 

“Oh of course I do. It’s an extremely lucrative investment.” John turned to study the board, but Merle could tell when he wasn’t fully paying attention. Those were the times he had the best chance at winning.

 

“I was just wondering,” John picked up his rook and moved it closer to Merle’s king after a moment of hesitation. “if you had any recommendations for particularly good farms.”

 

“You looking for another business partner, John?”

 

“Perhaps. I’m looking into good quality _jurda_. From all sorts of places. I simply wanted some input from a more experienced individual.”

 

Merle scratched at his beard. It was a strange request. Sure, Merle knew about _jurda_ but beyond a money-maker John never showed much interest in the stimulant. Merle took his king and moved it back a space.

 

“Your best bet is probably Redcheek farms. I never used it much but people around my town said it was the best _jurda_ in the area.”

 

John hummed in thought and advanced his queen.

 

“Can I ask why?” Merle said. He moved his knight back to help defend his king.

 

“Just a business project I’m working on.”

 

John studied the board and a small smile creeped across his face. He advanced his rook. “Check mate.”

 

~~~~~

 

Merle left John’s house in the evening, just after dinner. John didn’t have any other family and tended to eat in silence, but Merle wasn’t one to turn down a well-made, free meal.

 

He passed a few lamplighters on his way across the city. Ketterdam got cold quickly as the sun disappeared behind the horizon and Merle shivered in his coat. A passing boat caught Merle’s attention. A barge, decked with two dead and the bodyman.

 

Merle’s heart seized at the sight of one of the bodies. It’s skin was slicked black with contagion and it sent a shiver down Merle’s spine.

 

~~~~~

 

The Queen’s Lady Plague was the worst thing to ever hit Ketterdam in Merle’s time there. He’d been tending to a kid that’d been stabbed in the leg when the plague sirens went off. It was a sound he knew from training. It was a sound he never wanted to hear. There in the rundown, shitty place that was the Harton Hospital the victims came through the doors like the tide.

 

Shit like that didn’t happen back in Noi Zem. There weren’t cities packed tight as sardines, taking in ships from across the world carrying saints know what. There was a reason Ketterdam didn’t burry their dead. Burning kept the corpses from infecting the living. Bunch’a good that did them. You don’t install plague sirens into the entire expanse of a city without reason. And they sure as hell had reason.

 

The streets were lonely during plague times. Only the healers and the bodymen were aloud out on the streets, though the homeless were rarely attended to. There was no one to give them a second look. Sometimes when Merle saw them he’d try to coax them to come to the hospital. It was usually a futile effort. Most of them were kids down on their luck and far too untrusting to let some stranger with a missing arm take them someplace unknown. Many were simply too sick by the time he found them to even get up and walk.

 

Kids who didn’t even have the luxury of a home to hole up in showed up at the doors with the pustulated faces and scabby marks of firepox. Merle wished he understood this horrid thing better. His powers were worth shit if he didn’t understand how to coax the body into healing. Instead he had to sit and watch as person after person came to the newly converted plague wing and dropped dead.

 

The only thing worse than the smell of death and decay was the smell of burning bodies that wafted in from the coast when the winds changed. The body barges could never get far enough out to mask something so foul. You never forgot the smell of burning flesh.

 

After the firepox started to die down Merle thanked any god or saint that would listen that he survived. By all means he shouldn’t have, coming in such frequent contact with the infected. Someone must’a been looking out for him.

 

Or not, since the hospital shut down so soon after. Too much sickness, they said. Too great a risk for another outbreak. Merle called bullshit but didn’t argue, couldn’t really. Some rich ass merchants offered him jobs, indentures; he new a stupid idea when he saw one and turned them all down.

 

He found work, though. Some kids and criminals who’d actually recovered under his watch remembered. They started coming to him when they got hurt and he fixed them up alright. Didn’t always charge at first, still didn’t. If Merle knew his patient couldn’t afford it he’d let them go; they’d make it up to him a different way; he knew that. Back then though, those that could started to offer him things, small compensation for his healing.

 

He still had to struggle at times to make ends meet but things were ok. The gangs were always gonna be fighting. There’d always be another battle to patch up afterwards.

 

~~~~~

 

Merle stared at the body as it passed down the canal. He had to press his hand to his chest to slow his heart rate back down to a healthy, steady rhythm. It was fine. If there was another plague he’d have heard the sirens. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo! Sorry if that chapter was sorta slow. I promise stuff is gonna start picking up more soon. (she said for the second time)
> 
> The next chapter is supper supper short but that *does* mean it'll probably come soon sooooo see you all then!


	9. Barry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright this chapter is, like i warned last chapter, supper short. Also, I'm gonna probably not update for a while cause of a lot of stuff going on in school (so many essays bluh…). I'll be back, though. (my guess is maybe 3 weeks or so? I'll try not to let it go that long but absolutely not promises). Thanks for reading!

Barry’s entire body adamantly protested against the concept of waking up. His limbs and thoughts felt sluggish. No part of him had a desire to go through the process of opening his eyes. When he finally convinced himself to put in the effort, he found himself somewhere dark to the point that having his eyes open wasn’t much of a benefit, so he closed them again.

 

 _What the fuck did I_ do _last night_ , he thought, dazed. The cold floor he was lying on wasn’t particularly comfortable but like hell was he going to try to stand with how hard simply waking up was.

 

Barry found himself hoping he didn’t get waisted at a party and was now waking up in a closet or a bathroom somewhere. It… wouldn’t be the first time, though he’d told himself he’d stop doing things like that. Then the memories of… what ever had happened to him, come flooding back to him.

 

“Shit,” he exclaimed to no-one. He would have blotted into a sitting position if his muscles had been willing to respond to his brain at the moment. Everything still felt incredibly heavy and tedious to move.

 

Rather than getting up he resined to forcing his eyes open and doing his best to look around from his place on the floor. He’d thank who ever’d taken him for leaving him face up so he could take in his surroundings when he woke up but there didn’t seem to be any light to look around by regardless.

 

Barry let out a long breath and decided to organize his thoughts while the rest of his body continued to work on filtering out what ever he got injected with earlier.

 

He was at his dorm, it was around 9 pm. He’d been jumped from behind and drugged with something unknown, but probably decently strong if he was still feeling the affects after waking up. He didn’t see his assailants and they restrained his hands immediately on attacking him. Based on heartbeats there were three of them. He didn’t know how long he’d been out or where he was now.

 

Barry worked at slowly moving his body as he thought; wiggling his fingers and toes, rolling his ankles and wrists. His movements slowly grew less sluggish the longer he lay there.

 

He wasn’t sure if his attackers were targeting him specifically or just looking for someone to get. The fact that they were waiting at his dorm at an earlier hour was leaning his thoughts slightly towards the former but he wasn’t sure. Restraining him could have been, and probably was, just a way to keep him from fighting back and make the kidnapping go smoother. There was also the chance they knew he was Grisha and that that had a hand in the ‘why’ of the situation. He wasn’t sure which possibility was best for his continued living. He really wished he knew where he was, or at least how long he’d been unconscious for.

 

Barry couldn’t keep track of how long he’d been lying there before he decided to give moving another go. At a certain point he had managed to lift his hand to run down his face and realized he was missing his glasses, which frankly sucked. Those things were not cheap. He still felt sluggish as he rolled to his side and pushed himself to a standing position. His head reeled with the movement and he had to throw out a hand to keep himself from falling. To his surprise, said hand connected with a cold, metal wall.

 

Barry immediately began feeling his way around the walls of wherever he was, slowly, of course. He didn’t want to fall and he still didn’t totally have all his motor control back. _Alright I’m in a small room with what_ might _be a door and no available windows that I can reach,_ he discerned after a few moments.

 

This was just great. As far as he could tell the door didn’t have any sort of handle on the side he was on, meaning there wasn’t an easy way out; though if he was being honest he hadn’t expected there to be.

 

The steady movement of searching the room was slowly helping the residual heaviness in his limbs and he figured he could probably managed to crouch down to explore the bottom edges of the walls without toppling over at this point.

 

The bottoms of three of the four walls were occupied by small grates, but void of anything else. Far too small for Barry to even hope to fit through. _Helpful_ , Barry thought bitterly. He resigned himself to his cell, (cell? was this a cell? sure felt like it) and sat by one of the vents. He kept his hand near it, hoping to feel any airflow should it come; frankly the lack of which worried him. It meant he was probably far from open air.

 

Once again, Barry was unable to keep track of the passing time when light suddenly flooded the room. He hissed against the blinding glare and threw up an arm to cover his eyes. _Fuck that’s bright._

 

Nothing seemed to happen over the time Barry’s eyes took to adjust to the brightness; which really wasn’t that bright once he was able to process it, just a small slit emitting from a hole in the door. When things continued to not happen Barry took a moment to look around the room. It was just about as bland and empty as he’d figured it was when it was still dark. Well, he was pretty sure it was at least. None of the dark gray blob in his shitty vision looked like anything new.

 

Barry huffed a sigh and slumped back against the wall. He supposed it was nice to have some light, even if he still couldn’t see very well? It didn’t _really_ improve his situation at all, though. It was maybe a bit less disorienting.

 

A light breeze over his hand caught Barry’s attention and he glanced down towards the vent. What looked like a faint coppery gas was seeping out and spiraling around his fingers. It startled Barry to his feet. A quick glance around confirmed the gas was indeed spreading from all the vents, quickly increasing in density as it pooled around his feet.

 

“Oh fuck. Oh fuck,” Barry panicked before clamping a hand around his nose and mouth. What ever this stuff was had a pretty low chance of being good for him.

 

The coppery vapor was creeping up towards his face and Barry closed his eyes, head tiled upwards. His lungs were on fire, begging for him to breath. No. No, the gas was filling the room. He did not want to find out what it would do if he inhaled. Barry felt tears prick his eyes from a lack of oxygen before instinct took over and he took a gulp of air.

 

 _Oh Saints, oh Gods, oh…_ He sucked in a surprised breath and felt his shoulders relax. “Oh…” Barry sighed.


	10. Taako

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey. I'm back. I'm not dead. It's… been a while. Supper sorry about that. Bunch of stuff happened and I'm sorry it took so long.

Taako arrived back at the Loft with a sigh. He’d put off doing the paperwork from last night until after his ‘meeting’ with Kravitz. That meant lots of work to do now and it was already around two in the afternoon.

 

“Hey, Taako!”

  
  
He groaned dramatically and looked to see who was so determined to stop him from getting up to his room. Turned out to be Avi. He was playing cards with Johann on one of the ratty couches in the common area. Guy was an expert demolitionist. Not the best in the Barrel, that title went to Cassidy in the Green Rams, but he was defiantly a good pick for any demo job.

 

Taako put on his best sly, uncaring smile and bent over the back of the couch to insert himself between the players.

 

“What can I do for ya, Avi?”

 

“How’d the stick up go last night? We getting our money back? Beat in a few Death Raven heads?”

 

Taako reached out a finger to tip back Avi’s cards and look at his hand, out of view of Johann of course. He wasn’t doing great. Probably trying to stall so he could think of a way to cheat.

 

“No head beatings,” Taako said, pushing himself back so he wasn’t right between the two of them anymore. “Gave Killian a few good swipes though. Magnus is still at Merle’s.”

 

“What about the money?” Ugh. Johann always sounded like he was expecting the worst news. Like, Taako got it. This place could be a downer on anyone. Didn’t mean it wasn’t a tad annoying to listen to every conversation with the guy.

 

“We didn’t get it tonight. Our point’s been made clear though. Lup and I gotta talk to Istus about making a big hit on their supplies or something.”

 

“Where’s Lup been?” Avi asked. “Haven’t seen her today.”

 

“Well that’s really not your business, my dude,” Taako said, giving Avi a hard stare from behind his glasses.

  
  
He squirmed under Taako’s gaze and went back to his game without another word. Sometimes it was nice being known in the barrel. People didn’t question you.

 

Satisfied the conversation was over, Taako pushed himself away from the couch and headed towards the stairs. They were old and creaky and definitely not structurally sound but money wasn’t going to be wasted repairing them. The rotten planks groaned under his feet as Taako marched his way up towards the third floor.

  
  
The room was, of course, empty. Lup was probably off making out with Barry or something. Which, gross. Taako strutted over to where the stacks of files and papers were left piled in the corner of their little room. He’d have to go through and see how much money the Ravens took from the Ribbon Slip and compare costs to see what a proper strike back would be. Then he’d have to wait for Lup to get back so they could make their case to Istus.

 

 _Ugh_ , Taako thought. _Who’s idea was it to make being a high-ranking gang member so much work?_

 

He grabbed the folder he needed from the top and tossed it on the makeshift dresser. He had to shove a few things out of the way to make room to open and work in it. Lup’s towel could be on the ground for a bit. He had actual work to do.

 

Number didn’t bother Taako, but it was dark before he was done. Sitting down and just working wasn’t exactly his forte. By the time he was done going over the calculations, he’d organized the dresser, redone his hair, messed around with some bits of metal he’d found, and taken a short nap. But the work was done and that’s what he cared about.

  
  
Taako flopped onto the bed, causing the beams to creak in protest. He glanced at the old clock hanging near the door; 6:00. Lup should be back soon.

  
  
_Speak of the devil_ , he thought as he heard a knock at the window. Taako groaned and rolled off the bed to undo the latch. Lup climbed into the room with impressive grace considering the activity.

 

“Why can’t you take the stairs like a normal person?” Taako poked once she was through.

  
  
“Barry’s gone.” She said simply. She tossed her glasses toward the dressed and collapsed on the bed. She sat with her head in her hands and it’s been a long ass time since Taako’d seen her like this.

  
  
“What do you mean ‘Barry’s gone?’” Taako crouched on the floor so he could be more eye level with Lup in case she decided to pick her face up.

  
  
“I mean he’s missing. He didn’t show up at his room all day and none of his classmates have seen him.”

  
  
“He could just be playing hooky? Even Barold must get board of classes sometimes.”

  
  
Lup looked up at him and glared. “Barry doesn’t skip classes, Taaks. Lucas found all his shit on the dorm steps this morning.”

  
  
Taako hissed in a breath. Alright he could admit that sounded bad. “Uh… any idea where he could have gone?”

  
  
Lup rubbed at her face. She wasn’t crying, they didn’t really do that anymore, but even in the low light Taako could see her eyes were red. “I was thinking another gang might have got him? If word got out I have connections with a student he’d make an easy target to get to us.”

  
  
Taako bit his lip. That would be a problem if it was the case. Shit like this started gang wars and frankly he wasn’t thrilled at the prospect.

  
“Did yah consider he might have been nabbed by slavers?”

 

Lup looked at the wall and sighed. “It-uh. Yeah it crossed my mind.” She paused and looked at Taako sadly. “If that’s what happened I don’t know what we can do. You don’t-. You don’t just _find_ Grisha that have been taken. That doesn’t _happen_.”

 

Taako sighed and let himself fall to a sitting position on the floor. Well this was shitty. If another gang took him they’d have to go through Istus to get him back, not to mention causing issues with the tense relations Ketterdam’s criminal underground lived by. If Barry’d been taken by traders finding him would be near-impossible and there was no guarantee Istus would give them the time with the shit going on with the club.

 

“Fuck, Lu.”

 

“Yeah.”

  
  
The two sat in silence, neither sure where to go from there. Over the few minutes the fire in Lup’s eyes started to bleed out until she was just sitting there quietly, staring ahead at nothing.

 

“We should talk to Istus,” Taako offered. “Gotta give her the report anyways. Maybe she heard something about what’s happening with Barry.”

 

Lup nodded and got up to grab her glasses.

  
  
“Can you get the paperwork too?”

  
  
She nodded again, still not saying anything and damn if that wasn’t worrying. Lup was a talkative type even in the worst of situations. It was Taako who usually clammed up, not her. He was scared for her.

 

Taako opened the door for her and she shuffled out without a word. Istus’s office was on the second floor. They creaked down the steps in silence.

  
  
Taako gripped Lup’s hand before knocking.

  
  
“Who is it?” Istus’s deceptively soft voice came from the other side.

  
  
“Taako and Lup with reports.”

  
  
“Come in.”

 

Taako squeezed Lup’s hand once before letting go and pushing in.

 

Istus’s office was small but homey. It felt out of place in the cesspool of the inner Barrel. Filing cabinets lined the white walls and what space they weren’t taking up was occupied by hanging knitting works, a hobby of Istus when she found the time. Istus herself sat at a white oak desk piled with documents. She watched them come in, face a picture of calm.

 

Istus was from Kerch and by looking at her you would never guess she lead such a powerful part of criminal underground. She let her long white hair flow behind her, framing her dark face, and tended to wear nice, colorful, _expensive_ dresses. She liked silver jewelry but everyone knew she could afford gold.

 

“What business?”

 

Taako told her about the confrontation in the alley and the new member of the Death Ravens. He pointedly did _not_ tell her about his little date.

  
  
“We should make a play on some of the shareholders of the Stockade, sew resentment. If we can get just one of them to shift over to our club that’d make a good dent. Leeman Kessler’s son might be a good target. Dad died recently and he might be susceptible to moving the money around in our favor.”

  
  
Istus nodded thoughtfully. “That sounds applicable. I can probably send Redmond on a call for that. He’s persuasive in maters like this.” She cleared her throat. “Is there a reason you both came for a report that only required one?”

  
  
Taako chuckled nervously and scratched at his neck. “Uh, yeah. There’s been, uh. There’s been another development, involving Lup.”

  
“And maybe another group,” Lup muttered. It was the first thing she’d said since they left their room.

 

“Oh?” Istus raised a brow in interest.

  
  
Taako leaned over to whisper in Lup’s ear, “Do you want me to tell her?”

  
  
She shook her head after a short moment of thought.

  
  
“I’ve been seeing a student at Ketterdam University for a few months now. It’s been going well and I’ve tried to keep it under the radar. I went to visit him today and he wasn’t there. Didn’t show up all day. I-”

  
  
“Lup,” Istus interrupted, “I’m sorry but, why should I care about your dating life? If it doesn’t affect your work It doesn’t affect me.”

 

“That’s just it, Ma’am. I think it’s possible another group took him to get to me. We’d like permission to find out.”

  
  
Istus sighed and stared at them. Taako could tell she was thinking, weighing the cost, benefit of the situation.

 

“I understand you’re upset by this Lup but I’m not sure it’s worth waisting resources to go after.”

  
  
“If I may?” Taako piped up. “Barry, Lup’s boy, is a respectable student at the university. Not top but high grades, good reputation. If word got out one of the gangs took him they could be facing a lot of issues. Might create an opening for us.”

 

Istus hummed at that. “If it’s going to be someone it’ll be Rowena and her Death Ravens. She’s always wanted you two. We don’t have much quarrel with Pan right now. Anyone else is too minor to bother."

  
  
“So is that permission?” Lup asked.

  
  
“I’m not sure. Even if it’s most likely them our relations are thin right now. One wrong move and I have a war on my hands.”

 

Taako and Lup nodded. Whatever happened was up to Istus. They couldn’t do shit if she didn’t give the go ahead.

 

Eventually she sighed and said, “I can send Johann to do some investigating, see if they even have him. He’s our best spy, if there’s something to find he’ll find it. Is that applicable to you?”

 

Taako and Lup slip their glasses down their noses and shared a look. They could convey so much just by looking in each others’ eyes. Was this an ok way to go? Was there another option to argue for? What if Johann missed something? What if something happened? Could Taako go too?

 

“Can Taako go too?” Lup asked, pushing her shades back up. “I know we both deal mostly with stealing shit but you and I both know he’s damn skilled at vanishing when he has to.”

  
  
“Taako isn’t a spy, Lup. Spying is a one-person job.”

 

“I can handle myself,” Taako said. “You know that. I’ll listen to Johann, keep my head down. It’ll be fine.”

 

Istus hummed and said, “Lup would you please go get Johann for me? It leave it up to him. If he thinks he can do his job with Taako tagging along then I trust his judgment.”

 

Lup nodded and turned to leave the room. Taako watched her go before looking back at Istus.

  
  
“Do you think Lup will be alright if Barry is not found,” she asked softly. “I can’t have one of my lieutenants out of sorts with everything that’s happening right now.”

  
  
Taako shrugged. “I’m honestly not sure. She’s had flings before but this feels different. Never seen her like this. If it gets better it’ll be while. Pretty damn sure of that.”

 

Istus nodded and the both of them waited for Lup to return with Johann.

  
  
“Greetings, Johann,” Istus said as they entered.

  
  
“What business, Istus,” Johann addressed her, somber as ever.

  
  
“I have a job for you. I need you to find out of the Death Ravens have recently kidnapped anyone named Barry…” She looked to Lup for a last name.

  
  
“Bluejeans,” she supplied. “Barry Bluejeans.”

  
  
“Yes. He’s a student at Ketterdam University and we have reason to believe to believe he’s been captured.”

  
  
“That’s it? Yeah I can probably do that.”

  
  
“And would it be possible for Taako to come with you?”

 

Johann paused and glanced at Taako, thinking. Taako was pretty convinced he’d say yes. Why wouldn’t he? He was _Taako_. Who wouldn’t want him on a job?

 

“I’m not sure…”

  
  
What was that?

 

“I know Taako’s good at disappearing,” Johann said, “but… he’s not a spy. They’re different things.”

  
  
“Johann. My dude,” Taako said. “Let me tag along. I’ll do what you say and everything.”

  
  
Johann sighed and gave in. Taako knew he would. “Fine. But you need to do everything I tell you.”

  
  
“Sounds good.”

  
  
“We can go tonight. Wear something dark.”

  
  
“Thank you, Johann,” Istus said, dismissing him.

 

He nodded and left the room, presumably to get ready.

  
  
“I hope this pleases everyone,” Istus said. “Thank you for the reports. I suggest you go get ready.”

 

As they left the room Lup mouthed a ‘thank you’ at Taako. As soon as the door closed and they were sure no one else was in the hallway, Taako reached for her hand and squeezed it, once.


	11. Taako

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo! I got a new burst of inspiration on this and am very excited. Sorry it took a while. I want to say the next one won't be long but I've learned promises on updates are foolish. Soooo. Here we go.

Taako met Johann on the roof of the Loft twenty minutes later. He was wearing a tight, black, hooded sweater he’d fabricated himself and black leggings. His hair was pulled back into a bun under the hood and he’d attached a length of fabric around the back of his shades to keep them on. Two of his knives were securely strapped to each thigh, a third on his waist, and his forth on his right forearm. His steel band, as always, was on the left if he needed it.

 

Johann’s garb was roughly similar, though he had a hooded cloak rather than sweater. Taako felt he pulled off the all black better than Johann if he did say so himself. And he did. Of course he looked amazing.

 

“You can cross rooftops right?” Johann asked.

 

Taako snorted. What did Johann take him for? “Uh  _ yeah _ , Johann. I can cross rooftops.”

 

“Alright, uh… keep close then.”

 

Taako nodded and watched Johann take a running leap to the next building. He landed as close to silently as possible and motioned for Taako to follow.

 

Taako stretched his arms above his head and cracked his neck before darting across the roof. Leaping between buildings was exhilarating. To have nothing under your feet but a forty foot drop or more as you glided through the air was a feeling Taako wouldn’t give up for the comfiest digs in Ketterdam. He landed on the other side with a roll and grinned up at Johann. Johann’s somber expression didn’t change, but he nodded at Taako and turned to keep moving.

 

Taako huffed and followed begrudgingly. It wasn’t so bad. The darkness was Taako’s friend. He loved the thrill of blending with the sky, invisible to all but those he told about his presence. He was one with the night, a fact of life he typically reserved for thievery. Damn though, he might have missed his calling as a spy. He’d have to talk to Johann about it sometime when they weren’t supposed to be quiet. In fact he had to stop himself multiple times throughout the trip from asking something. Maybe that was why he wasn’t a spy. Talking was too enjoyable to give up for such long periods of time.

 

They paused lightly a few roofs away from the Death Raven’s home base. Johann tugged Taako gently behind a chimney, well out of view of any look outs they might have.

 

“Alright. If they’re holding him somewhere it’s going to be well defended,” Johann said. “They don’t want to lose their chip in the game.”

 

Taako hummed. “Makes sense. So what’s the plan? Sneak through a window and take a look?"

 

Johann looked at him like he was crazy. “You’re thinking like a thief. We take a vent.”

 

“What about the guards? There’s gonna be some on the roof.”

 

“We take them out.”

 

Taako’s eyebrows raised up above the glasses. “How down?” It was common saying in the Barrel, especially in the case of infiltrations. Roughly translated, ‘how badly hurt do you want them.’

 

“Shut eye.” Unconscious but not hurt.

 

Taako nodded and shook himself out. “Alright. Let’s do this thing.”

 

Johann nodded once and darted to the left to start circling the building. Taako watched him until his dark figure disappeared in the night. Then he turned and ran towards the right. He kept his momentum smooth, hitting the ground running after each building-to-building leap. He skidded to a stop when he was at a point parallel with where Johann should be, assuming they were following normal procedures.

 

It was deathly silent beyond the ever-present din of the West Staves off in the distance. Occasionally a dog barked, or a shout echoed through the streets. Taako crouched low and waited for the signal.

 

A single, low whistle sounded through the night, melodic and sad. Taako snapped into action and began darting at the Death Raven base. He weaved behind and between any objects that would obstruct him from view. If the guards heard the whistle and processed it for what it was they would have a difficult time tracking Taako through the darkness.

 

As soon as he got close enough he saw three figures on the roof. He didn’t recognise two of them and aw fuck that one he very much did. Well this was gonna be awkward. ‘Hi Krav I know we just had a date last night but I’m kind of infiltrating your base? Sorry about that!’ This was just shitty.

 

Taako went for the burly guy at the same moment Johann landed on the shortest of the group. Taako held his target in a surprise choke hold before he could do anything and flicked out a leg to send Kravitz careening towards the ground with that oh so cute yelp of his. They simply had to stop meeting like this.

 

Taako’s man was on the ground fast. Taako might not be strong but with the element of surprise the guy didn’t stand a chance. The woman Johann attacked was down only a second later and that left Kravitz who was currently on the ground trying to scramble away from the kerfuffle with a slightly bloody nose from his fall. Kravitz really wasn’t made for this life.

 

Taako sent an apologetic glance towards Johann that he probably couldn’t see between the darkness and the tint of his glasses. He was about to break a  _ major  _ rule of spying.

 

“Hey, hey, hey it’s cool,” he said and turned to Kravitz, fully ignoring Johann’s noise of protest. “It’s me. Not gonna kill you or nothing.”

 

“I-what,” Kravitz spluttered. “ _ Taako _ ?”

 

Johann was hesitating in his confusion and that was good.

 

“ _ Yeahhhh _ ,” Taako rubbed at the back of his neck. “Hey, Johann?"

 

“Taako…  _ What _ is going on?” Johann sounded exasperated more than anything.

 

“Well,” Taako said, blanking. “This is Kravitz. Kravitz; Johann. Uh. Krav is… kinda a friend of mine.”

 

“You have a friend in the Death Ravens-”

 

“It’s complicated,” he cut Johann off. “Hey Krav?”

 

“Yeah…” Kravitz sounded like he would very much like to be anywhere but here.

 

“Can you just… Ugh no I can’t ask you to go against Rowena anymore than you already have. Ok how bout this!” Taako lightly claps his hands together. “You heard anything down the grapevine about the Death Ravens taking prisoners?”

 

“No?” Kravitz took a quick glance around his position on the ground and pushed himself into a standing position. Johann was rubbing at his temples.

 

“Krav I know you’re knew and all... They wouldn’t want this info spilling, but I also need for you to wrack your brain for me for a sec here. News can travel fast in the Barrel if just one person is loose-lipped.”

 

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Sorry Taako.”

 

Dang he was really hoping Kravitz knew something. Now not only would he and Johann still have to break in and look at files and shit but, it would have been confirmation that Barry was here. Not that he  _ wanted _ Barry to have been kidnapped but, being with another gang was better than slavers. At least with another gang there was a chance he could be bargained for. He groaned and reached up under the shades to run his hands down his face before looking at Kravitz.

 

“Hey Krav, I don’t want to make you go against your group. But I have to be able to infiltrate this place without you setting an alarm. Kinda already pushing it like this.”

 

“So what exactly-“ Kravitz was cut off by a soft crack to his head as Johann hit him with the butt of his knife. He fell to the roof like a sack of bricks.

 

“Johann what the fuck!” Taako said as loud as he could while still being appropriate for the mission.

 

“What? This is our job. It sucks but it’s what’s gotta happen.”

 

“Aw dunk I feel kinda bad about this. You go unscrew the vent I’ll deal with… him.”

 

Johann responded with a negative hum of approval; it was almost a growl. While he did that Taako looked over Kravitz’s unconscious form and sighed. He was bleeding a little where Johann hit him. So much for ‘shut eye.’ But it did let him do one thing. He stuck his tongue out as he carefully stuck a finger in the blood and wrote on inside of Kravitz’s arm.

 

_ Sorry _ .

 

The ‘y’ was kind of faded since there wasn’t much to write with, but he hoped it’d do. It was the best he could manage in this situation. He still had to find Barry if he was here.

 

An incredibly faint ‘clang’ let Taako know Johann finished. Johann lightly placed the grate on the roof and motioned for Taako to come over.

 

“Crawling through vents the right way is hard,” Johann whispered. “First there’s a drop and you have to get down that without making too much noise.” He reached down his shirt and unhooked a long wire he had stored there. “We use this to get down and come back out.” He kept talking as he started to secure the cord to part of the roof. “Once you get down there we travel on our stomachs. I’ll go first because I know the layout. Push yourself along using elbows but try not to press too hard; you’ll disturb the metal. This is why I wanted to come alone.”

 

Johann looked Taako up and down and frowned. “You don’t have a lot of upper body strength do you?”

 

“Rude… but accurate.”

 

Johann groaned. “The best way to get down is to just descend with your arms, but if you need to you can put your feet lightly on the sides of the vent to support yourself.”

 

Taako hummed a confirmation and watched Johann wrap the rope around one hand before sliding backwards into the vent. He moved silently; Taako couldn’t hear his movements at all as he lowered himself. Part of him wanted to go to the vent and watch how Johann moved so expertly into the building, but he knew it would be too dark to see anything.

 

The quietest clunk of Johann’s feet landing at the bottom, only audible because Taako was listening for it, told him it was his turn. He sighed under his breath and took hold of the rope, trying to wrap it in a similar manner he’d seen Johann do. It wasn’t the first time Taako had to climb down a wall with a cord, but usually he was against a solid brick wall that wouldn’t make a sound if he kicked it will all his strength. This was so much more delicate.

 

He chewed at his bottom lip in concentration as he sat on the edge of the opening and slid back into the darkness. As expected he wasn’t strong enough to hold himself up with just his hands on the rope so he carefully pressed his feet and back into the sides of the vent, wincing at the metallic creak it made.

 

He made his way down as carefully as he could. Every time he moved his feet to shift further into the vent the walls groaned and he cringed. Maybe he should have let Johann go alone? But then again this was for Lup. If he got caught it was for Lup. Saints he was gonna die for this.

 

Johann had moved out of the way for Taako to land. Now came the tricky part. There was very little space to maneuver himself around into a lying down position, and to do it quietly was another feat all together. How in hell’s name did Johann do this silently?

 

When he was finally in a military crawl he reached forward to tap Johann’s leg through the fabric. Johann shifted said leg against his touch to confirm and started shuffling forward slowly and carefully.

 

Even now Taako was making so much noise in comparison. Ok so maybe thieving  _ was _ still his thing. At least you could wait for people to be gone and make as much noise as you wanted with that.

 

Corners were hard and every so often Taako would get a glance out a grate into a room. Usually it was just someone sleeping or an empty space. Once they passed a bedroom with two people making quite a lot of inappropriate noise and Taako couldn’t help but snicker. Places like this had paper walls. He felt bad for everyone on their floor and below having to listen to that. Some people had no shame.

 

Eventually they reached a grate Johann used the thieves’ wires in his sleeve to slowly open, screw by screw. It was painful waiting so long for it to come undone, but he was eventually able to pop it open and carefully lower it to the floor, making no sound louder than a soda being opened. Johann slipped out gracefully, dropping to the floor in silence.

 

Taako… was less graceful. He more tumbled out and, once he righted himself, Johann gave him a look that said very clearly ‘be quiet you dumbass.’ Taako could only shrug apologetically. Johann glanced quickly around the room before turning back to Taako and coming close enough to press against his side.

 

Johann leaned in towards Taako’s ear and said, “Stay here. I’m going to see if I can’t overhear something. You should have time before RQ gets back.”

 

Taako nodded and watched Johann climb back up to the vent, mostly using his upper body strength to hoist himself up. Then Taako got to work.

 

There were a lot of files. Thankfully most of the drawers he could dismiss with one or two looks. The vast majority of drawers were dedicated to finances, information about running the clubs, information on shipping. Most of the remaining cabinets were for contracts. Those were a good place to start. It was possible, if the Death Ravens did have Barry, RQ had forced him into signing something. Especially if she knew he was a corporalki; he could be valuable to her as a member. He really hoped that wasn’t the case, it would only make this situation messier, but it was worth a look.

 

Flicking through the folders was tricky. There were a lot of members, both public and under cover. A few contacts perked Taako’s interest enough for him to get distracted looking through them. It seemed the Death Ravens had a few secret workers in the pleasure houses. Smart. That was a very good way to learn the secrets of the wealthy in this world. He’d have to suggest it to Istus.

 

It was when he was looking through one such file that had caught his interest when he heard a barrel click and a pressure at the back of his skull. His heart stuttered in his chest and he shakily lifted his hands, file still in hand. He didn’t need to look behind himself to recognize the perfume. Rowena Quinn.

 

“What are you doing here, Taako?” She asked, voice level and unreadable.

 

Taako smiled emptily, resorting to his failsafe of sarcasm. “Oh you know, just some light reading.”

 

The pistol pressed harder against his head, pushing him forward slightly.

 

“I don’t appreciate Golden Fates entering my office and reading through my things. I ask again. What are you doing here, Taako?”

 

Taako swallowed heavily and laughed dry and bitter. “I’m looking for a friend.” He fought to keep the shakiness out of his voice.

 

“What  _ friend _ ?”

 

“Kid from Ketterdam University went missing last night.” Lying wasn’t going to work this time. Quinn was too prepared, too smart; better to straight-lace it. “Lup and I have a… uh… particular interest in his recovery. Figured you might know something about it.”

 

“I haven’t instructed any kidnappings.” Now her words carried warning, a promise that she wouldn’t tolerate any messing around in this moment. “We don’t have him.”

 

“And-uh… How do-uh,” Saints he was pushing this. “How do I know you aren’t lying?"

 

“What benefit would I have in lying to you? If I  _ were  _ using him as a chip it would be in my best interest to let you know and refuse to give him up. Why would I continue to hold him?” She sighed and Taako could feel the heat of her breath on his neck. “You’re smarter than that Taako.”

 

Taako couldn’t help the second dry laugh that pulled itself from his throat. “Alright. Why not shoot me then? I broke and entered, snooping through your private files on a hunch.” He was pushing his luck, but, if he bet was right this could work

 

“Why don’t  _ you _ tell me why I haven’t shot you, Taako? I think you know.”

 

“You like me, me  _ and  _ Lup, and you think there’s still a chance we could join the Death Ravens.”

 

A monotone hum was her only response.

 

“You’ve wanted us since the moment you saw us in that cell.”

 

“Mmm,” Rowena hummed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I know very well I won’t be getting you any time soon. No, Taako. I have a particular interest in this case as well.”

 

“What?” Taako almost turned around to look at her, but further pressure from the gun on his skull kept him in place. He gagged on his fear for a brief second before continuing. “What do you mean you’re interested?”

 

“I recently lost one of my Grisha. Brian. He was a squaller spy for me at the Wave Echo Cave,” one of the better known pleasure houses. “His working name was the Black Spider and he went missing a few nights ago. The house owner can’t tell me where he went or who his last customer was. I want him back and I  _ know _ this isn’t a simple slaver situation.” She paused, likely gauging Taako's reaction; he didn't give her one, but his mind was whirring. “This is… unconventional, but if in your search for, Barry? Was it?” Fuck she really did have eyes everywhere. He’d never said  _ who  _ went missing. “If in your search for Barry you find Brian as well I’m willing to pay a hefty sum and I’m sure Istus would appreciate that.”

 

The pressure from the gun lifted from his head and he heard the safety click back on, a signal for him to put his hands down. Rowena circled the desk at the far end of the room and sat with her hands folded gracefully in front of her. She was a picture of grace, all black fabric and pale skin. Her black, Kerch eyes seemed to stare into Taako’s soul as she gestured for him to sit in the seat opposite the desk.

 

“Shall we discuss?” She said, sending a child down Taako’s spine.

 

“Why aren’t you using your own contracts to find Brain?” Taako took the offered seat. “Why me?”

 

“Let me be clear I want you  _ and  _ Lup, and whoever else you feel you need. I don’t want to risk the lives of my own top members on this. Shall we discuss pay?”

 

“A thousand Kruge,” he said, folding his arms stubbornly and leaning back in the chair.

 

“Oh?” RQ’s eyebrows raised. “Quite a hefty sum.”

 

“I’m betting it’s not  _ just  _ Brian you want back. You want to know what’s going on in this city as much as anyone else. Lup and I’ll need help to crack this and money to get that help. A thousand up front or no deal.”

 

“How about this; I’ll grant you five hundred by tomorrow afternoon and a thousand should you get to the bottom of this  _ and  _ return my worker to me. Only if you complete  _ both _ tasks, though."

 

Taako thought it over. He wasn’t sure how much help they’d need, how many ways the money would split. It would please Istus. She always got thirty percent of any money any of them earned; it went to paying off their debts. He could renegotiate if things got out of hand.

 

“I’ll have to clear it with Istus… But assuming she says she’s fine with it, you have a deal… I renegotiation to still open should the need arise.” He held out his hand with a light smile playing on his lips.

 

Rowena eyed him over for a moment before reaching out a hand ladened with silver rings and bracelets to shake. “A good deal, then. You’re money will be with you before the sun sets tomorrow. You can confirm Istus’s agreement to the deal with them when they arrive.”

 

She stood from her desk and started towards the door she hadn’t even closed on her way in. “Leave now, and take your friend with you.”

 

She glanced up at the vent that had been up and behind where she had been sitting, drawing Taako’s attention that way. He could just barely make out Johann’s wide-eyed fear-filled face in the shadows. How long had he been there?

 

“You can take the window this time if you like.” She gestured to the locked window in the office and left without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Hope you enjoyed that. I uh… I started a ko-fi? I'm still not sure about it but. Yeah? Still figuring stuff out now that I'm moving on to collage and more independent sustaining myself. ^^:
> 
> [Support Me on Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/I2I2HUIH)
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: sparkledragons.tumblr.com  
> Feel free to come chat. Next chapter should go up soon.


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